


Violet Eyes

by KuroRiya



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Human!Berwald, M/M, Mer!Tino, mild violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-14
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2017-12-23 11:05:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 70,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/925629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KuroRiya/pseuds/KuroRiya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is an entire world that exists beneath the sea, unseen by the human eye for centuries. And the creatures that populate this world aren't so different from humans. But for some unlucky Mer, born with the unfortunate trait of eyes the color of violets, a life of being hunted and executed is all they have to look forward to. However, one of these poor souls gets lucky, fished out to find safety instead of death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was a stupid, careless mistake on my part. The number one rule that the Violet-Eyes must abide by is to only hunt where there is no chance of being seen. How many times had this been drilled into my mind? Countless times. But invisible waters are infertile waters, with a low yield. Few fish, scant vegetation, and several hungry, illegal Mer desperately trying to find a meal. For one as small as I, it is next to impossible to compete. Even if I do find something edible, it is quickly snatched away by a bigger Mer. Yes, we all share the cursed trait, some of us even share living quarters, but that does not make us friends. We are all fighting to survive, and the biggest man generally wins.

I'm not small, per se, at least, not petite. I've always had a maid's curve to my body, regardless of my nutrition at the time. However, I was not made of muscles. Some of the Violet-Eyes train their bodies, unwavering in their preparation for a battle that we all assume will some day come. But I am not made for such training. I tire easily, and prefer to use the strength of my mind. Not to say that I am particularly intelligent; far from it. I just lose myself in my thinking, more than most consider healthy. But, for the most part, no one intervenes. We all fear for our lives every day, so none of them can bring themselves to break me from my pseudo-reality. At least I can pretend to be happy for a time.

But feeding shifts do not leave me time to daydream. I have a limited time to find as much to eat as possible, or I go hungry. There is no stock, no store-room full of back up fish and seaweed. What we find is what we eat. Unfortunately for us, most of the fish that normally populate our feeding areas have moved away; we Mer have eaten all of the vegetation that used to draw them in, so they have no reason to come. Such a lack of food leads to very unstable relations between us, and I had been trying my best to avoid foraging anywhere near the others.

It had been days since I had eaten anything of substance, my only food coming in the form of some algae I had scraped off of a coral reef with my nails. But it seemed I was finally going to get my lucky break, as I noticed a small fish swim right by my eye. It darted away, and I didn't even think as I chased after it. With a triumphant grin, my fingers wrapped around its streamlined body, gripping tightly. I felt its bones snap in my grip, and it went limp. I opened my mouth, planning to eat it quickly, lest anyone see, but it never made it to my lips.

As it were, someone had already seen me. A very large someone. A very large someone who now had my fish in his hand. My eyes widened in distress, I already knew what would happen.

"No! I caught it! It is mine!" I growled, flicking my tail quickly and trying to snatch it back, to no avail.

"You do not need it. All you do is sit and stare at nothing; and you are not even half of my stature." That said, I watched my fish slide into his mouth and down his throat. My lip trembled at the sight of my lost meal, my mouth agape with disbelief at the cruelty of a catch denied me. The Mer that had taken it stared at me with his violet-eyes, daring me silently to take an action, to give him an excuse to break my spine just like the fish's, and eat me the same way. I bit my lip, but said nothing, silently reminding myself that it was only one small herring, and he turned, swimming away from me to return to his search. Once I was sure he was gone, I blinked, resulting in a cascade of small pearls floating languidly to the ocean floor. There they lay, shining up at me, standing out against the stark vacancy of the feeding area. It was almost mocking, in a way. Land creatures apparently found our tears extremely valuable, yet they were meaningless to us. Where a few tears on land would buy a new home, they were simply left to mark the anguish of a starving Mer under the water.

I turned, taking in the pitiful state of those around me, digging fruitlessly at the sandy floor, eating repulsive sea snails, shell and all, breaking teeth in a delirious attempt to consume coral. And suddenly I decided that it was too much. Why should we, I, have to go night after night without so much as a bite to eat? Why should I have to resort to chewing at rocks in a bid to forget my real hunger? Merely because my eyes were a shade different than what was acceptable? How perfectly disgusting!

Anger flaring and heart pounding, I quickly turned to make sure there were no eyes on me, then swam past a large reef, going behind it, then moving away, quickly.

I'd be damned if I was going to go hungry for another night.

Of course, my mind in such a state, I became stupid. Anger tends to elicit that quality in most people. And, if anger was not enough, my starvation was. I was mad at that point, in both definitions of the word. The threat of the Hunters was not as frightening as my looming hunger. So off I went, swimming through the stark, lifeless water, long past the time of my feeding shift. But I did not care if they missed me, did not care if they worried. I knew they would not, so why bother thinking of it at all?

Finally, I spotted a fish. Only one, but one none the less. I darted for it, and had it in my mouth before it could even think to swim away. I bit fiercely, messily tearing the flesh from the bones, then sucking the bones till they came out white. I dropped the remains, watched as they sank to the floor. But I was not satiated. One fish would not make up for weeks of close to nothing. I continued on, scanning with my eyes as I went.

It didn't take me long to run into a decent sized school of herring. My mouth satiated, and I did not hesitate to swim right into the middle of all of them. They, of course, scattered, trying to swim away from me. But I had a small moment of genius, and crushed them as I wrapped my fingers around them, letting them drop to the floor and immediately going for another. By the time the majority had gotten away, I had a decent pile of dead fish just waiting to be devoured. And devour them I did, in the most beastly way imaginable. Manners don't mean much for someone as hungry as I was.

Once I had eaten all of my mass kill, I regained some of my sense. I wanted to smack myself for my idiocy! What had I been thinking, venturing this far? Venturing at all? I was outside of the safety zone. Sure, the safety zone was not guaranteed, but at least there were men to try and protect me. Here I was exposed, vulnerable, and so very frightened. I looked around, suddenly feeling like there were hundreds of eyes on me, watching me, hiding just beyond the rocks, the reefs.

I turned slowly, then shot back towards the hiding place as quickly as my fins would take me, shooting furtive glances behind me at my imagined pursuers. Even in their absence, the Hunters were terrifying. In the midst of one such glance, I managed to run into a large rock, this sending me reeling, crying out as my head throbbed with pain. It was enough to make me stop, to close my eyes, to curse under my breath. And that was the mistake that sent me over the edge. One can only make so many in such a small time without punishment.

And mine came in the worst shape possible.

I yelped as I felt hands on my arms, yanking them painfully behind me. Eyes wide, I turned to face my assailant, but I suddenly wished I hadn't seen him, hadn't opened my eyes at all.

"Just as I thought. A Violet-Eyes." His voice was smooth, emotionless, terrifying. Positively frigid. I whimpered as I tried to pull away, but he was stronger than I. "Don't struggle. It will only make this more painful. I am alright with that, are you?" He asked, only a slight inflection in his tone giving me the hint that it was a sarcastic question. My brows knitted upwards, and I could already feel the round pearls coming to my eyes. I looked at him pathetically, knowing my attempt at gaining sympathy would return no gain, but trying none the less.

I was a bit surprised by his appearance, honestly. Most hunters that I had had the misfortune of seeing were big, bulky. But this man was slender, just a bit larger than me. However, what he lacked in brawn, I could tell he made up for with cunning. His indigo blue eyes were cold, wise, calculating. I looked away. He was, strangely, familiar. And that unsettled me to no end. But I could not quite place where I was getting this familiarity. I had never met him before; I was sure of that. But I couldn't shake the feeling.

He pulled on my arm, leading me in the direction I had come from. I tried again, in vain, to pull away. He kept going as if my struggling did not phase him. I wailed, fighting against his pull with all of my might. But, despite my large meal only moments earlier, my body was still weak from malnutrition, and I hadn't even the ghost of a chance. And I knew it.

How? How could I have been so utterly vapid? How could something, repeated to me countless times, be so easily forgotten? I knew better than to leave the designated areas. I chose to leave them anyway. I had done this. I had done this to myself. And I was going to die for it.

I gave up my struggle, going limp. The Hunter sighed, halting for a moment to wrap an arm around my waist, then he returned on his path. I wept, leaving a trail of pearls behind me, the only legacy I would ever leave. What a worthless thing.

But, fates be blessed, it seems that I was not the only hungry creature that day. My captor stopped yet again, this time cursing under his breath. I chanced a glance up, and, to my horror, came face to face with the one predator that strikes fear even in a Mer's heart. Well, I suppose that giant squids are also rather scary, but they are not very common. However, sharks are horribly common. And just horrible in general.

He seemed to be eying us just as I had the herring from earlier, predatory, desperate. I shivered, wondering how the Hunter planned to proceed. Would he throw me to the shark? That would give him time to escape and rid him of the responsibility of killing me. I could only hope that he hadn't managed to think of that.

They stared each other down for a time, then the shark went in for the kill, slicing through the water towards us. I shrieked, flinching, my eyes shut tight in preparation for the sharp teeth that were destined for my flesh. But the pain never came. After a moment, I opened my eyes, and found the shark below us. How the Hunter managed to avoid the lunge, I doubt I'd ever know, but I was thankful.

The shark, on the other hand, was nowhere near as pleased. He returned, lunging again, and again, and then, finally, one last time. With a loud shout of damnation, the Hunter shoved me away from himself, sending us both spiraling in opposite directions. The shark turned back around, but, to my fortune, decided that the other male looked tastier than I did. He went for him, and I watched with fascinated horror as the Hunter just barely dodged out of the way. I watched him do this twice before I realised that this was my chance. I turned and raced in the other direction, hoping to god the shark would keep him preoccupied.

Of course not.

"Get BACK here!" He shouted, and I spared only one glance to learn that he was following me, shark right behind him. I did my best to increase my speed, holding my arms tight to my sides, using all of the strength I had left in a mad dash to the caves. The safe caves, where Hunters couldn't get us. They didn't know where they were!

My brain came to the shattering conclusion that I could not return to the caves. If I did, this Hunter would know where ALL of the Violet-Eyes were hiding. Perhaps I would escape, but many others would die. That... Simply wasn't fair. I couldn't doom so many people because of my carelessness. Teeth gritted with resignation, I veered to the left and up. My only hope now was to get to shore and beach myself. Hopefully the Hunter wouldn't follow, and, if he did, hopefully the land would put him at enough of a disadvantage to let me escape.

I could see the light from the sun, cutting through the water like sharpened bones, illuminating my scales as I tore through the water at a speed I didn't even know I was capable of. A bit further and I could see a huge black mass, a wall, a cliff. That meant I was close. I swam towards it, planning to follow the line of it until it met with a beach. I was close enough to the wall that I could touch it if I reached my hand out, but I didn't dare. All I could do was beat my tail against the water, to pray silently for survival.

I could hear the Hunter behind me, the kicks of his tail creating a dissonance with mine. The shark had, at some point, given up; I did not hear him anymore. I didn't need to look back to know that the Mer was close. Just a moment longer, and he would be able to reach out and grab my tail, ensnare me once again, this time tearing me apart limb by limb, saving my eyes to show as proof to the king.

But my capture didn't come from behind. No. Much like the rock from earlier, I ran into something. Something invisible before, but now so very clear. A net. These god damned land creatures! They cannot even comprehend what they have done by placing this here! They have doomed me! I struggled, thrashing in a hopeless bid to free myself. But I was too tangled, too panicked. And it didn't matter, the hunter was upon me, his hands pulling at me harshly, trying to rip me from the net so he could rip me apart.

With nothing else to do, I tried to fight him off. I knew this was a fruitless effort, he had already proven to be stronger than me. But I had no other options, and the adrenaline was pumping too thickly through my veins for me to do nothing. I quickly learned that I had no idea what I was going. Where he would punch me, effectively knocking the breath from my chest, all I could do was try to mimic his movements, none of them succeeding in anything more than annoying him.

However, I finally seemed to land a good blow, one to his shoulder. He hissed, his hand coming up to hold the shoulder I had just hit. He glared at me, but backed up, ceasing his attacks for a moment. I panted, wondering if he would give up, but he didn't take his cold indigo eyes off of me, glaring at me steadily while he bit his lip, still nursing his shoulder. We stayed in this stand-still for several minutes, then he appeared to get his senses back, and he began trying to remove me from the netting, none too gently. I yelped, but was unable to escape from his hands.

But suddenly his hands were gone, and I was moving away from him. He didn't follow after me, only looked on with the inkling of surprise on his otherwise blank face. And then it dawned on me; I was going up, and I was in a net. Only a land creature would retrieve a net. And now, in retrospect, the Hunter didn't look as terrifying. I cried out, reviving my attempts to untangle myself from the netting, but I could barely move my arms at all, let alone methodically.

And all too soon I broke the surface of the water, gasping as I was dropped carelessly to the ground. I flailed, struggling against the woven ropes, screaming in fear and anguish, knowing I was not going to survive. And, for the second time that day, I resigned myself to my death, and went limp. I rolled over miserably, wanting to at least see my killer before he could kill me.

I shrunk back as I saw him, his face utterly terrifying. His brows furrowed as if angry, and perhaps he was. I had ruined his net. He was very imposing, much larger than I, and able to stand upright on those strange fins that land creatures have. I whimpered, cowering under his gaze. But he didn't make any move to kill me, as I had expected him to. He only stared.

This was not what I had been told. The only thing scarier than Hunters and Sharks were the land creatures. Even the Hunters feared them. All Mer feared them. When they first came through our waters in the strange hollowed-out trees, we were fooled by their familiar appearances. They had upper halves that looked like ours, and spoke similarly to the way we did. We were friendly, at first, and the land creatures returned the favor. They taught us their language, which we quickly took to- Our language was hard to speak out of the water, but theirs could be spoken both in and out. We traded with them often, usually our tears for food or sometimes for the strange objects that they crafted. We would keep them company on their voyages, help them when they asked, and guide them when their tools failed.

But then we sang for them. We Mer have a penchant for singing, it is our most beloved pastime. But, as we quickly learned, our singing enchanted land creatures. They could not sing as we did, and they have the most absurd desire to posses that the Mer had ever seen. The first time they heard us, everything was broken. They began to trap us, to drag us from our homes, to keep us locked away. They'd force us to sing, and threaten to kill us if we didn't. No Mer returned once they were taken.

We learned the hard way not to sing when humans were around. By that time, our population had dwindled, and we lived in fear. We stayed below water as much as possible, repopulated, and, after nearly two centuries, the land creatures seemed to have forgotten about us. We began resurfacing, singing to the animals, swimming near the shores again. This time, it wasn't our voices that attracted the land creatures, but our tears. Once caught, most Mer cried, and land creatures place a high value on Mer tears. Pearls are precious stones to them. And that is when the real torture began. Where the previous generation had only threatened death, this one prodded with sticks, with shiny, sharpened rocks, drew blood, made us scream, cry, cry out every last pearl until we died of blood loss or shock.

Again, we went into hiding. We had learned that we would never be able to coexist with the land creatures. They were too cruel, too powerful. And, now, they have advanced. They create things that move on their own, huge vessels made of shiny rocks, sticks that send out small stones that can go straight through the thickest body.

And there I was, tangled up in the net of a particularly large one, unable to move or defend myself. I tried to shrink back, to somehow throw myself back into the water. Even death from a Hunter was favorable compared to torture at the hands of a land creature. I quickly learned that there was no way I was going to make it back over the edge. I managed to get rather close, but the land creature pulled me back towards him. I whined lowly as he did, trying to grab at the ground, but could not find anything to hold. When I was close enough for him to touch me, I tried to kick, to thrash, to do anything so that he couldn't come near me. If I could knock him off his balance, perhaps I could drag myself back to the edge. I had to at least try. But, instead of falling, like I had hoped, he squatted down, giving him a stronger stance, which pretty much ruined my plan.

"Calm down." He said, almost in a cooing voice. I blinked, pausing in my struggles. "Ah'm no' gonna hur' ya." He promised. His way of speaking was different... It was similar to the way a Mer that comes from far away will mispronounce things. Did that mean that he was from far away? Or was I the one that had come far?

But that wasn't the important part. He wasn't going to hurt me? Was he joking? I did not find it very humorous. Still, in his defense, there were no weapons around that I could see. And, his face aside, he did not seem very threatening. And, anyway, struggling had already proven fruitless for me, so why bother anymore? I went slack, deciding it was a better bet.

We were both still for a moment, and he simply observed me. Then he moved his hands towards me slowly, cautiously. I still flinched. He drew back when I did, waited until my breathing returned to normal, then moved towards me again. He took the netting in his hands and began the painstaking task of untangling me from it. First an arm, then a fin, and finally, after what seemed like hours, I was free. He stepped back after freeing me, dropping the net to the ground at his side. I followed it with my eyes, then quickly snapped them back to his face. Just as slowly as he had moved, I propped myself up, making it easier for me to watch him.

He moved one of his arms, and I was quick to react, backing myself up towards the edge of the pinnacle. He froze, as did I, then he lifted his hands up till they were level with his head, palms out and fingers extended, showing me that he didn't have anything nor any intention of harming me. I relaxed a bit at that, letting my posture slacken just a bit. After a small staring contest, he lowered himself gently to the ground, sitting. And he continued to sit for what must have been at least an hour, watching me watch him.

I eventually deduced that he really wasn't going to hurt me. Probably. Why bother with calming my fears of him if he was only going to reinstill them moments later? I let my body move, finally, relieving the pressure on my wrists. I rolled until I was laying on my stomach, resting my chin on my folded hands. And the staring continued.

Now that he was not, at least at the moment, a threat to my life, I realised how lucky I was. Had he not lifted me out of the water when he did, I would surely be dead now. The hunter, unlike this land creature, WAS out for my blood. So, in a way, (A very scary, traumatizing way) he saved me. So I guess, in a way, I sort of owed him.

I blinked, wondering if I was really going to do this. After a short mental debate, I gritted my teeth, and began to drag myself in the opposite direction from before, towards the land creature. He seemed surprised, but didn't make any movements. It took me a while to make it all the way over, but finally I was close enough to touch him.

I reached out, touching my hand to his face, feeling the texture of it for a moment. It was so different from my own skin, slightly prickly with hairs that land creatures somehow grew on their faces. The only place we Mer could grow hair was on our heads. But land creatures grew it most everywhere. Still, it wasn't an unpleasant feeling.

He hesitated, then lifted his hand up to rest on top of mine. I did my best, and managed not to flinch away. I looked up into his eyes, lovely sea blue eyes, ones that reminded me so perfectly of home, I could practically feel myself swimming in their depths.

"Beautiful..." He breathed, his eyes never once leaving mine. Beautiful? I was beautiful? Perhaps the rest of me, but not my eyes. Such cursed features are unfavorable, unlovable, ugly. But that is what he was staring at as he whispered the compliment, so what else could he mean? He blinked, looked me over as if seeing me for the first time. "...Ya're beautiful." He repeated, his breath ghosting across my face. Again, we were motionless. Then, suddenly, he stood. I yelped, falling over backwards in my attempt to get away from him. Oh, I knew it was a bad idea, getting that close! Now he was going to capture me, lock me up, and torture me until I had cried all of my tears, then he'd kill me!

I gasped as he hefted me up by the waist with a grunt, carrying me exactly as the Hunter had, though with a lot more effort it seemed. Weight worked differently above the water. I shrieked, trying to push myself out of his grasp, but he held tightly. He moved forward, one step at a time, towards the edge. I paused in my struggle, wondering what he was thinking, and then it dawned on me. He was going to return me to the ocean. Oh, good man, I thought, readjusting myself to make it a bit easier for him to carry me. We were at the edge, only about a foot more and he would fall off, and he stopped. Using his other hand, he held me out over the side, letting me go slowly, tail first.

It then dawned on me; the Hunter would be waiting, lurking in the water nearby just in case this human DID decide to do EXACTLY what he was doing. My eyes widened, and, sudden course of fear giving me strength, I grabbed onto his arms. He seemed startled as I scrambled, pulling at him in a bid to get back on solid ground. Seeming to catch on he, with much effort, managed to get an arm under my tail and heaved me back up, falling over backwards with the effort. He landed on his bottom, but held on to me tightly, making sure I didn't fall. I clung to him, shivering, only then realising how close I had just come, for the third time that day, to dying.

It didn't even matter to me anymore that this was a potentially deadly land creature; I wanted to be held, wanted to be protected. I was tired of having to fight for survival. Just once, I wanted someone to take care of me. And so I clung, shook, whimpered. And he, for whatever reason, held me, stroked my hair, consoled me quietly with gentle words. When I had calmed down enough, I began to explain to him why I couldn't go back. He got quite a start when I began speaking. Apparently, he hadn't thought I could speak his language.

I told him of the Hunters, told him of the Violet-Eyes, explained why I had ventured out of safety, recounted the chase I had just narrowly escaped thanks to him. And then I was quiet, still, coddled against his chest, listening to his heart beating softly, letting his body warm mine. We stayed there for a time, and then he stood, took off his outermost layer of clothing, and wrapped it around me, making sure my tail was covered. And I found myself in his arms again, cradled affectionately, and he walked, carrying me, all the way through a forest, a large village, and finally into a small home, crafted of wood that had been cut and then stacked together.

Once inside he removed the clothing from my body, and brought me to a small room in the house. There was a hollow, bowl-like structure there, and he turned something, making water come out of a spout of sorts. Once it had filled, he sat me in it, letting me lay in the warm water. He turned to a small, shiny box a ways away, and did some things with his fingers before returning to my side.

"The water will stay warm. If ya nee' anythin', jus' yell for me." He instructed quietly, petting my hair. I nodded, giving him a small smile. He got up to leave, but I grabbed his hand before he could.

"Thank you." I said, squeezing just a bit. "And I am Tino." I added on, remembering that we had not yet exchanged names. He squeezed my hand back.

"Berwald." He replied, letting my hand go and leaving the room. He left the door open, and I watched him retreat down a hallway and turn a corner. A pause, and then a small click sound that told me he had closed a door. I waited, then turned my eyes to the top of the room instead, looking at it as if hoping it would tell me a story, or that perhaps my imagination could take over and give me a few moments of bliss. But no such luck. I sighed, closing my cursed eyes, and did my best to relax in the white stone basin of warm, saltless water.


	2. Chapter 2

Despite what my savior, Berwald, had said, I woke to find myself shivering, the water in the small white basin having chilled while I slept. I frowned, biting my lip in an attempt to quiet my chattering teeth. I wondered what to do, knowing I couldn't remain in water this cold. Should I call for Berwald? He told me that I should if I needed anything, but surely he was sleeping himself. I didn't want to disturb him any more than I already had that day.

But I knew better than to think I could make it through the night in this water. Already my body was getting sluggish, my movements requiring much more effort than they should. I frowned, glancing towards the box that he had fiddled with earlier on, the one that was supposed to be keeping the water warm. Perhaps I could figure out how to make it work again? But I would have to get over there first.

With a plan now formed in my mind, I began the process of heaving myself out of the basin. In the ocean, this would have been a very simple, easy task. However, as I mentioned before, weight works differently on land, and I was much heavier than I anticipated. I fell down into the water with a splash, not even managing to sit up. I scowled, trying again, this time more prepared. I managed to get my upper half over the lip of the basin, but then I had to rest. How pathetic! I couldn't even lift myself!

Determined to make it this time, I pushed on the edge, heaving my lower half out. Finally, after a small hitch, I got enough of my mass on the outside that the rest of me slid out, and I flopped to the floor. Perhaps it wasn't the most graceful thing I'd ever done, but I had obtained my goal, and that was enough for me. I allowed myself a pause, to catch my breath, then began dragging myself towards the wall that the box was fixed to. The floor was positively awful! It had grooves between the stones, and it scratched at my tail as I slid across. But I persevered, I was so close!

Finally, I was upon the wall, staring up at the box. But, to my distress, it was much higher up than it had appeared from the basin. I reached as far as I could, but my arm was simply not long enough. I tried stretching my torso out as well, but that hardly helped. My only option was to try to stand, like the land creatures did, on my tail. It sounded painful, but I am a stubborn soul. I had made it this far, there was simply no giving up for me.

Needless to say, a few seconds later found me nursing my elbow on the floor where I had fallen. I didn't make it very far at all. Despite that, I had made a lot of noise when I hit the ground. I frowned, preparing myself for a second attempt, but I never got that far. I heard a click and light flooded in through the doorway. My head immediately snapped in that direction, a long conditioned fear rising up in my belly. Was it a hunter? A predator? But, no, it was Berwald. Apparently the noise I had been making did wake him up. He was breathing a bit heavier than usual, so I guessed that he had rushed, maybe thinking I was injured.

He looked first at the basin, worry evident on his face when he didn't find me there. But it didn't take him long to locate me where I sat on the floor. He seemed surprised, and I flushed a bit, suddenly quite embarrassed with my failure. He came to my side, bending down to be on level with me. I flinched as his glaring face was put in front of mine, but I forced myself to remember that he wasn't angry at me, that he was just a frightening looking man.

"Tino? Wha' are ya doin'?" He asked. I pouted, looking up towards the shiny little box that had thwarted my plans.

"Th-The water got cold." I explained. He turned to glance at the basin, then he got up and looked at the box. He again maneuvered his fingers along the box, this time for much longer, and eventually he sighed with frustration.

"I's broken." He informed me. He continued to stare at the wall for a bit longer, then sighed again, rubbing his hand across the back of his neck. "Do ya nee' to be in water?" He asked, looking at me once more. I shook my head. Mer could survive out of water. In fact, if I remembered correctly, a certain very powerful Magic-Mer had grafted a new trait into our race, one that made it possible for us to imitate the human race should we need to. If we were away from water long enough, our tails would dissolve into human appendages. It was a safety measure for us; we had a better chance of survival if we could adapt to the land, especially when the humans trapped us.

Berwald nodded, retrieving something from a small shelf in the corner of the room. It was a fabric of some sort, but I had no idea what its purpose was. But I could hardly complain when Berwald wrapped it around my shoulders, hefting me off of the ground and taking me to something made of the same material as the basin. It was perfectly shaped for sitting upon, I quickly learned, as he sat me upon it. He used the soft fabric, which I had since fallen in love with, to dry the water from my body. Once I was what he considered decently dry, he discarded the cloth and picked me up yet again, this time carrying me to another room in his home. I glanced at the rest of the rooms he had, trying to take in as much as I could with the scant lighting, and found that his home was actually rather large. But he did not give me much time to gander. He took me to a room equipped with a large box covered in a fabric, and, after closing the door with one of his lower appendages, he placed me upon the box. As it would turn out, the fabric box was very comfortable, much more so than the white basin, and I relaxed as my body sunk into the softness of it. I had to admit, fabric on land was much better than that underwater. It was soft, fluffy even, and it didn't cling to the skin.

Berwald joined me on the fabric box, struggling a bit to pull a layer of the fabric out from underneath me. Once he had succeeded in that, he draped it over us both, and I sighed as it coddled my skin. It was truly lovely. I'd have to ask Berwald about this fabric box, how the humans came up with it, what it was called... But that could wait until I woke, for I was quickly falling back to sleep.

-.-.-+-.-.-

I woke up, already very pleased with the state I was in. I was comfortable, still laying between the fabric box and the layer of fabric that Berwald pulled on top. And I was so warm! I wondered groggily if the fabric box kept itself warm, perhaps it had a little box like the one in the bathroom? But no, that wasn't where the heat was coming from, I quickly realised. It was coming from Berwald.

One of his arms was draped loosely around my form, the other underneath my neck, supporting my head. My nose was brushing against his collar and my arms were curled against his torso. I cursed silently, knowing this had been my doing. Chalk it up to being ectothermic, but I have always had the tendency to seek heat in my sleep, be it from warmer waters or the body heat of another. It would seem that Berwald was on the receiving end of it the night before.

I was in the process of fretting silently, not wanting to wake my host, when he woke on his own. I didn't even have a chance to contemplate what I should do upon his waking, for I feared that he might get angry. I had, after all, invaded his personal space without his permission. However, he didn't seem very bothered by my presence. In fact, he offered me a small smile, using his fingers to smooth back the bangs that had fallen into my face during the night. He offered me a morning greeting, then extracted himself from the fabric box. He traveled over to a door inside of the room, opening it and removing a few articles of shaped fabric like he had been wearing around his body the day before. I decided that this was probably the land creature version of clothing. It seemed to me that they wore it every day, as a way of covering their skin, perhaps protecting it from the elements that they were more often exposed to than Mer.  
He switched out the clothing that he had been wearing to sleep for the ones that he had removed from the small room, then turned my way and opened his arms as if for an embrace. I assumed that he meant to carry me again, and sure enough, when I wrapped my arms around his neck, he hoisted me up with a grunt. He made a noise of surprise as my lower half slid out from underneath the layer of fabric that had been draped across me, and I joined him in that surprise as I saw that my fins had been exchanged for a pair of appendages like a land creature. My surprise wore off much quicker than his, as I remembered the old folktale of the magical Mer that had grafted the ability to change into our species.  
I took a moment to explain this to Berwald, and he asked me about something called the Little Mermaid, and when I looked at him blankly he explained that it was something called a movie. When I showed no reaction to that he seemed to realize his mistake, and promised to explain it to me later. He then asked me if I knew how to use my new appendages, which he called 'legs.' I told him no, that I'd never been put in a situation in which I would have needed to use them. He nodded, opting to simply carry me for the time being.  
However, if the flush on his face was an indicator, something about my new appendages made him feel a bit embarrassed. I brought this up, and he explained that humans always wear clothing over the lower halves of their bodies. He said that this region of the body was considered taboo. I had to ask him what the word 'humans' meant, (and learned that that was their word for land creature.) He placed me back on the bed, and returned to the small room where he had obtained his clothing, pulling out another set and holding it up to me. He shook his head, returning the clothing to the small room, taking out another set and holding it up to me as well. The second set was a bit smaller, and after what seemed to be a short mental debate, he handed it to me. Next, he went to a box made out of wood, pulled on a handle, and a smaller box slid out of place. From this box he removed another article of clothing, handing it to me as well.

I took them from him, holding them in my hands. He looked at me expectantly, and I looked back at him just as expectantly. It took him a moment to realize that I had absolutely no idea what to do, and he took the clothing from my hands, laying the pile on the bed next to me. He took one piece at a time, showing me how to put it on, as well as telling me the name of each article. By the time we had finished, I was wearing a boxers, a jeans, and a shirt. Once I was what he considered decent, he picked me up again.  
He took me into a room towards the front of the house, sitting me upon something similar to the fabric box, though it was shaped very differently. Instead of a flat box, this one was bent in half, providing a place to rest your back. He moved over to a box that had a shiny black finish to it. He pressed a few buttons on this box, and the face of this box that was closest to me lit up, displaying a portrait that moved accompanied by sounds. I gasped, never having seen a marvel like this before. He picked up a box that was small enough to hold in one hand, covered in innumerable buttons. He pushed a few of them and the picture on the box changed. Whereas before the picture had looked like a real person, it now displayed something that a Mer child might have drawn in the sand. Still, I was enraptured by the moving pictures, and when the character began to sing I was filled with delight. Once he was sure that I was comfortable, he moved into another room that was connected to the one that I was in. I was too distracted by the moving pictures to really pay attention to what he was doing, but he was making a lot of noise.

A few minutes later I couldn't help but sniff hungrily at the air, for a lovely scent was wafting in from the room that Berwald was occupying. Suddenly less interested in the moving pictures, I tried to make my way over to the room. Of course, unaccustomed to my new appendages, I didn't have much luck. I fell almost immediately, crumbling into an undignified pile on the floor. I huffed indignantly, reaching my hand up and grabbing at the fabric box that I had just left, using it as leverage to lift myself up off the ground. Once I was vertical I tried again to make my way towards the room, but nearly fell again. I growled with frustration, suddenly impressed with the land creatures' ability to get around with these appendages. I tried to think of Berwald, picture him as traveled with them, how he traveled. As I recalled, it was one 'leg' and then the other. I gave this a try, and though I was unsteady at first, I eventually got the hang of it and was able to make my way to the room where Berwald was, albeit far from gracefully.

He seemed very surprised to see me, and help me sit down in a wooden contraption. I asked him what it was called, and he explained that it was a 'chair.' He then continued to explain all of the other boxes that I had been using. The fabric box from the night before was a 'bed,' the fabric box from earlier that day was a 'couch,' the moving picture box was called a 'television,' and the smaller box all the buttons was called a 'remote.' I wondered briefly why all of these human contraptions were box shaped, but didn't bother with asking. He then explained that each room had a name. The room where I had initially been sleeping was called the bathroom. The second room I slept in, with him, was the bedroom. The room with the couch and the television was the living room, and the room we were currently in was called the kitchen.

Apparently, each of these rooms was meant to serve a separate purpose; the bathroom was for bathing, the bedroom was for sleeping, the living room (which he said could also be called the sitting room) was meant for relaxing, and the kitchen was for cooking and eating. When I expressed wonder at this, he asked if that was not how it was done under the sea. I admitted that I didn't know, as I had always lived in the cave, and it was most likely different from the lifestyle of any other Mer. He asked me how life in the cave had worked, and I did my best to explain my living arrangements to him.

I recounted how we had something similar to a bedroom, but it was shared amongst several Mer. We had no beds, instead shared nests of supposedly inedible seagrass, but those didn't last long once our feeding ground had withered away. Turns out it was edible. After that, we had to rely upon the comfort of others during sleep. I told him of my sleeping partner, a Violet-Eyes a bit younger than I, very similar in appearance. I explained that I practically raised this Mer myself, as I had been the only one with enough patience to deal with such a young child. Perhaps if I had been a bit older at the time I would have simply abandoned him, but I was still too close to my childhood to harden my heart like that. I had taught this Mer the rules of our small society, sharing with him what little food I was able to get as well as my sleeping area, which until then had been solely mine.

I quickly learned that this Violet-Eyes had just recently been separated from his family, an older brother and a mother. For a long time he insisted that once he had gained enough strength, he would return to his family. But, as with all Violet-Eyes, he eventually gave up, resigning himself to our hidden lifestyle and accepting that his family was most likely dead. As harsh as it might seem, that was what was best for him. No matter how strong a Violet-Eyes might get, the entire Mer population was on high alert, always looking for us, hoping to reap the monetary award provided for any tips leading to the capture of a Violet-Eyes. Eventually, he would've been caught and killed.

Once he had settled into his new life, he became an asset for me, though we had different feeding shifts we always shared what little we found. We tried to keep one another entertained as best we could, making up quiet games that we could play in the sand, so as not to disturb the other Violet-Eyes. Once we had reached an age where childhood was far behind us, we instead entertained one another with conversation. Our relationship went on like this for a long time, and then one day he just stopped talking. No matter what I did, he never spoke another word to me. That's not to say that he began avoiding me; we still shared a sleeping area, and he still listened to me when I talked. He just wouldn't speak anymore. I never learned why.

As for the bathroom, I explained that being underwater meant that such things were rarely necessary. I had heard that normal Mer, those without violet eyes, would sometimes find a waterfall and let strong current flow over their bodies as a way of removing any excess vegetation that might have clung to them. But Violet-Eyes rarely traveled more than a few feet away from the mouth of the cave, leaving us relatively clean for the most part. On occasion we, along with a partner, would take turns grooming the hair of one another, though this was more for social interaction and comfort than it was for hygiene.

Berwald explained that the bathroom was also where land creatures… Relieved themselves. We had a small opening at the back of the cave that was used for this.

We did have something similar to the living room. When we weren't sleeping or eating, most of the Violet-Eyes convened to the largest part of the cave, using the space to converse with one another, trade items, or simply bask in the presence of other living creatures. Mer, after all, are horribly sociable creatures, and Violet-Eyes are no exception. It makes it incredibly hard for us to live in this solitary lifestyle. It truly goes against every fiber of our being. Hence why the Violet-Eyes tend to collect together, even in hiding. It's much riskier than if we were to hide on our own, but we'd waste away from loneliness if we did that.

And then the kitchen. It took me quite a few minutes to explain our eating system. There was no cooking for us, everything was eaten raw and immediately. There was no time for us to add spices for flavor, there was rarely enough time to eat at all. I explained that we had to take turns, had to have feeding rotations in order to feed all of the Mer in the cave.

The entire time that I was telling him about my life, he seemed to be growing increasingly sad. And I suppose, to anyone who wasn't used to it, my life probably was pretty sad. Who am I kidding? Even I consider it sad. But I was alive, and that was more than I could have hoped for elsewhere.

By the time I was finished, Berwald had finished with his cooking, and he transferred the food onto what he called a plate, placing it in front of me and telling me to dig in. I asked him what this phrase meant, and he told me 'to eat.' I couldn't argue with that and did as I was told. He sat next to me in another chair, and "dug in"as well. But I wasn't really paying him any mind; I was way too busy with the amazing food that he had prepared for me. I couldn't remember anything having tasted this good in my life, and I scarfed it down, scared that someone might take it from me. Berwald threw me a glance, but didn't question it, allowing me to finish the food as I pleased. He even gave me more when I had finished, letting me gobble that up as well.

I asked for more, but he chided me at that point, telling me that if I really ate as little as I made it seem that I might hurt myself by eating too much. I grumbled quietly to myself, but didn't argue against him, letting him take my plate. I waited in the chair, not sure what I was meant to do after eating, and also just liking the presence of Berwald near me. Despite the scowl to his face, he was turning out to be a lovely companion. He only said what was necessary, but I got the feeling that he would be an excellent listener, something I personally needed in a friend. A few of the Violet-Eyes knew that I could be quite the chatterbox when I had the opportunity.

Once Berwald was done cleaning the plates (which is what I assumed he was doing) he helped me out of the chair, wrapping his arm underneath mine to steady me as he helped me travel back into the living room. I finally got around to asking him what this form of travel was called, and learned that it was walking. He said to give him a few minutes, and then we would go outside to practice my walking. For the time being, he instructed me to continue watching the television. I nodded and allowed him to exit the room, hearing him close the door to what I guessed was the bathroom.

On the television, I watched the tale of a young, bald land creature and his friends who were on a mission to save the world from other land creatures that could somehow shoot fire out of their appendages. The bald one's female friend was able to move water to her will. The bald one, on the other hand, was capable of controlling any element he so chose, despite being the most incapable character in the group. When Berwald returned, I questioned him about this controlling of the elements, and he explained with a small smile that this was simply a children's story, brought to life using animation. When I asked him about animation, he told me that it was a technique in which humans draw several pictures, put them together, and then made them move. The result was what they called cartoons. I didn't understand most of the words that he said, but I nodded, not wanting to bother him with explaining it again.

Berwald pushed a button on the remote, resulting in the moving pictures fading to black. I frowned at the loss of the new form of entertainment, but allowed him to lift me from the couch and onto my legs. I was thankful that he didn't let go of me, as I would have fallen without his support. He waited for me to get used to having the weight on my new appendages, then began forward slowly, making sure that I could keep up with him easily. He let me outside of his home, bringing me to a path that we followed into a small forest. While I was learning to walk, he tried to fill the silence, however awkwardly, with idle conversation.

He stopped in the middle of his sentences, which were currently about his life, to explain what things around us were. The path that we were currently walking on was made out of concrete, and was called a sidewalk. He explained that these sidewalks were built nearly everywhere that humans lived to show them where it was safe to walk. He said that next to sidewalks there was often something similar, called a street or road, and that they were used to drive on. He then had to explain to me about contraptions they called cars. They were made out of a substance called metal, and were used for humans to get around faster. He said that when we returned to his house he would show me his.

I realized how very little I truly knew about the world. We Mer really thought ourselves to be incredibly superior beings, but we were so cut off from everything by living in the ocean. Then again, the land creatures knew nearly nothing about the sea. It seemed unfair that no creature could occupy both. Well, no horribly intelligent creature, that is. What a waste it was for there to be so much unknown to both our species. But it wasn't like I could explain that to the other Mer; if I so much as looked at the ocean again I'd likely be killed. A few pearls welled up at the thought of never returning to the ocean again. But I decided that it was better to be alive on the land than dead in the ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okei guys, sorry for the delay. I promise I didn't intend to make you wait this long, but, as those of you who follow me on devi/facebook/tumblr may know, my laptop kind of died, very suddenly, and I have yet to get her repaired. I think I just need a new battery (I hope anyway.) I'm getting her checked tomorrow. But the only computer I have access to right now is the decrepit old family PC. I've been making due, but all of my most recent chapters are only saved on my laptop (her name is Baby.) I only backup every few months. But, I realised earlier that I had chapter two of Violet-Eyes saved, so I decided to go ahead an put it up.  
> I just want you all to be aware that, due to my lack of access to chapter four, the update gap from chapter 3 to chapter four will likely be pretty immense. I haven't been able to work on ANYTHING since Baby bit the dust. I'll try to get everything up and running as fast as possible, but bear with me, please.  
> Okei, in my life right now: I'm currently on a cosplay rampage. I've recently decided to start making my own costumes. So I've been teaching myself to sew and read patterns, but it's been an uphill battle for me so far. But I can only improve with time. The first costume I'm working on is Natsuo and You ji from LOVELESS. I'm doing Natsuo, and a friend of mine is doing Youji. I picked these two because their outfits are pretty simple. The hardest part is going to be the sailor collar. Wish me luck, I'm pattern and fabric shopping tomorrow!  
> I'm also styling my fist wig, to go with my Organization XIII coat. Roxas' hair is unreal. But it looks much better than it did when I bought it prestyled. I've still got a lot more work to do on it, but I'll persevere.  
> I've been working like a mad woman to save up money for my drive to Canada. My friend and I are attending a Supernatural con in Toronto, and I'm going to cosplay Meg 1.0. Anyone else going? I get to take a picture with Misha Collins! I can't even express the level of fangirling that is happening for me right now.  
> I'll let you guys go for now, I need to get some sleep before I work tomorrow. (At ten in the morning. Yuck.) I bid you all a wonderful whatever time it is, and I'd like to thank you all for your comments so far. I'd love if you'd leave me another one!  
> As always, feel free to check out my facebook page and/or my ask pages. 
> 
> Deviantart: http://ask-nstac.deviantart.com/ (An ask profile, drawn answers)  
> Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/ask-kuroriya (An ask profile, written answers)  
> Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kuroriya
> 
> Thank you for reading, and feedback is always appreciated!
> 
> KuroRiya  
> 九六りや


	3. Chapter 3

By the time we returned to Berwald house, I think it could be said that I was grasping the concept of walking, more or less. I still required Berwald's support, but I was much more confident in using my new legs. Berwald promised that we would get more practice in the days to come. He said that I was learning surprisingly fast, and that at the rate I was going, it would probably only be a few weeks before I could walk on my own. I smiled at the praise, hoping he was right as I didn't fancy the idea of relying on him for the rest of my time on land (which would probably be the rest of my life.)

Still, I was exhausted by the time he sat me on the couch. It wasn't just my new legs either. My abdomen was sore from the effort of keeping me upright, and my lungs burned, unaccustomed to being used for such long periods of time. After all, Violet-Eyes rarely ever left the cave. I'd only been to the surface once before, when I was very young. I wondered vaguely if I'd be able to breathe underwater now that my body had adapted for the land. It was a theory I'd have to test later though, for currently I was too tired to do much more than sit on the couch and return my attention to the television that Berwald turned on again.

This time he joined me, explaining anything that I bothered to ask him about, which actually turned out to be a lot. Eventually I stopped paying attention, devoting myself instead to conversation with Berwald. I found him much more interesting, and he didn't seem to mind my company. Somehow we got onto the topic of the Violet-Eyes yet again, and I wondered aloud if humans did not have something similar. He frowned at that, taking a moment to collect his answer.

It was his turn to explain about his people, but he seemed a bit ashamed about it. He told me that racism ran amok in his world, that people hated one another based solely on the color of their skin, or the land from which they came. He also said that homosexuality was often scorned. When I asked him to define this new word, he said that it referred to people who loved someone of the same gender. I was a bit surprised to hear these details; we Mer were nothing like that. The only group we ever discriminated against was the Violet-Eyes. Humans had so many things to hate about one another, it truly amazed me that the race hadn't wiped itself out with war. I asked Berwald of he was part of this discrimination, which he vehemently denied. He said that humans had been getting better about it recently.

He then got around to asking me why Violet-Eyes are so hated amongst my people. I sighed, having dreaded the retelling of this story. But I knew that the questions were coming, and I knew the story well.

Centuries ago, Violet-Eyes were considered a normal part of the Mer race. They roamed just as freely as someone with blue, green, brown, or hazel eyes did. In fact, because of the rarity of the color, Violet-Eyes were considered exotic and beautiful, something to be cherished and sought. One was considered lucky they were able to find one.

But all of that changed with a single Mer.

Everyone had heard of Ivan, he was a famous magician in his time, an infamous magician in mine. As far as anyone knew, he was a peaceful Mer, only using his magic to support himself and benefit the needy. Unfortunately for him, his younger sister was a little too attached to him. Though she never caused direct harm to him, the same could not be said for those around him. She followed him ruthlessly wherever he went, causing trouble and hurting those he met. He constantly confronted her about it, but never to any avail. She would not relent.

Unable to do anything about it, he was forced to try to continue his work while ignoring his sister, a task she made incredibly difficult with her constant presence. Still, he did his best. Eventually he found a woman he loved, and they married. He cast a spell over them, one to hopefully make it impossible for his sister to find them.

Unfortunately, Natalya was also a great witch. Some would say, even greater than Ivan himself. Though she was unable to find him for many years, eventually she figured out how to undo the spell he cast. And for Ivan, that meant that there was hell to pay. When he woke one day, his wife had been slaughtered, his children hung upside down and left to bleed into the water slowly. Natalya was nowhere in sight, and no one knew where she had gone.

But it didn't matter to Ivan. For by then Ivan was already broken, an empty shell missing a soul. No one is sure when exactly he snapped, whether it was immediately or a few days later, but his sanity was no longer, and his power was far greater than anyone knew. The Mer race was not prepared to face the wrath of Ivan, and he gave them no time to prepare.

That was the closest the Mer ever came to extinction. In a desperate bid to do away with Natalya, Ivan sent out a shockwave that killed every Mer it came in contact with, including himself.

One might question why the story has anything to do with the history of the Violet-Eyes, why they are so hated. But it's really quite simple. Ivan and Natalya both had violet eyes.

I finished my story, finding Berwald's face to be rather horrified. I couldn't blame him, it wasn't a fun tale. He asked me if it was true, to which I responded yes. If there was one story that every Mer knew to be true, it was this one. The worst part about it for us Violet-Eyes was that we sympathized with him. Everyone sympathized with him. We couldn't hate him for what he done despite the fact that he had condemned us all to live in hiding or not at all. Even those without the violet eyes couldn't help but like him. But all magicians have the same trait, the same eyes. The Mer have simply become too scared of magic, would rather do without it than risk another massacre.

That isn't to say that all Violet-Eyes have magic. In fact only a rare few of us do, and even fewer are able to use it well. I personally have displayed a bit of magic ability, but it's nothing truly amazing. The most useful talent I have is my ability to talk to other races, but it's also become something of a curse. When I fed, I was forced to listen to the cries of my prey. For that reason, I never developed my magic, doing my best to block it out so that I wouldn't have to hear the anguish anymore.

He was quiet for a while, letting the story sink in. He didn't ask any more questions, suggesting we instead watch a movie. When I showed confusion about the word 'movie,' he explained that it was much like the television, except that it was much longer and usually considered better. I agreed, and he decided that we would watch the one that he had mentioned earlier in the day, The Little Mermaid. He asked me to point out anything that contradicted true Mer life.

-.-.-+-.-.-

To say that that movie was horribly inaccurate would be an understatement. Hardly anything about it was true, but I understood what the humans were trying to achieve with it. The important part of it was the love story between the two main characters, and the subliminal message therein. I was a bit outraged when Berwald told me that most people consider this movie to be the gospel truth about my people. Or rather, I was when he explained to me what he meant by 'gospel truth.' He had to remind me that most people considered my race fictional. I frowned, but said no more on the subject.

After our movie Berwald decided it was time for another meal, and I perked up at the prospect. He raised an eyebrow, obviously curious about my eating habits. He asked why I was so excited about getting food, and I explained that it was rare that I got more than a bite to eat at each feeding shift. What he had fed me that morning had been approximately equivalent to an entire week's worth of meals. I could feel the mortification rolling off of him as he hurried into the kitchen, quickly putting something together for me to eat. I thanked him with a smile, trying to take my time with this one.

I'm not really sure what it is that he made me, but it was just delicious as the first meal he had given me that day. When I asked him what it was, he said that it was called pasta. He explained that it was a quick dish to make, so a lot of people relied on it for late-night dinners. And I thought to myself, if this is considered quick food, I'd love to see a meal that took a long time to prepare. Berwald ate as well, cleaning up after us once we both finished.

We spent most of the day after that simply lounging around, seeing as I was too tired after our walk to do much else. And the exhaustion just kept piling onto my shoulders. I never knew how truly difficult it was for the humans to get around. Berwald walked around as if it was no trouble for him, and I guess maybe it wasn't. He'd been getting around like that his entire life, after all. When the sun had set enough for me to know that it was evening time, he got up and made us another meal, this one bigger than the two before it. And, wouldn't you know it, this was even better too.

When it began getting dark outside, Berwald suggested we get ready for bed, and I found myself looking forward to it. I apparently had become quite fond of the "bed"in my short time of knowing it. But that really shouldn't come as much of a surprise; the closest thing I had to a bed where I came from was a fellow emaciated body that clung to me as if for life as we rested at the bottom of the cave. Needless to say, it wasn't the most comfortable arrangement.

Berwald helped me out of the clothes that he had given me earlier in the day, and helped me into some that he pulled out of what he called a 'dresser.' He explained that the new clothing was used for sleeping, that it was made to be more comfortable. It took a long time to find some for me, and he said that the reason for his hesitation that morning, and at the moment, was because all of his clothing was much too big for me. He decided that we were going to have to go and get me some clothes of my own, for his simply weren't going to do. He said that he'd go shopping the next day, so I'd only have to make do for the night.

I smiled, thanking him in advance. I wanted to protest; I knew that it was going to cost him something. But I really didn't have a choice in the matter… As far as I was aware, my stay on land was going to be indefinite. The strange thing about it was, a day ago I would've been scared of the prospect, but now it didn't seem like such a bad idea. In fact, life on land so far had been undoubtedly better than life under the sea for me. Berwald was kind and generous, there was no one out to get me, and I didn't have to starve. All in all, it seemed like I was going to have a pretty good life on land. Well, so long as Berwald's kindness held out.

But I had a feeling that it would. As far as I could tell, every bone in Berwald's body was full of kindness. I mean, it takes a lot to help out a total stranger. Even more if that total stranger is from a different species altogether. But Berwald… Berwald helped me without even asking a single question. He brought me to his home, gave me a safe place to stay, allowed me to share his bed, fed me, and gave me clothes to wear. He answered all of my questions, and was genuinely curious about me. Suffice to say, I managed to get fished out by the kindest human on earth.

-. -. - + -. -. -

I woke up, cuddled against Berwald. I smiled to myself, doing my best not to move. I didn't want to wake him. I had been staying with Berwald a little over four weeks, and I think we both realized that I was becoming a permanent fixture. Truth be told, I had nowhere else to go really. I didn't know anything about being on land, I was still learning new things every day. There's simply no way I'd be able to survive on my own, and Berwald knew that just as well as I did. Thankfully, he didn't seem to mind my company too much.

In fact, I was starting to think that Berwald quite enjoyed my presence. And, as the weeks wore on, and I noticed that he never had any visitors… Well, I kind of put two and two together. Berwald was lonely. Lonelier than even the Violet-Eyes were. At least we had one another. Berwald didn't have anyone. Not until I showed up, anyway. And, seeing as I didn't really have anywhere else to go, I figured I could stick it out with him.

As promised, he had taken me shopping, and I now had my own wardrobe, hung cleanly next to his in the closet. He even allowed me to pick out my own outfits when I got dressed, though sometimes he would have to correct me when I made a terrible mistake. I've been getting better as of late, though. I've gotten better at walking, too. I still tend to fall over pretty frequently, but I no longer have to rely on the support of Berwald everywhere I go. That's given me a lot more freedom. When Berwald goes to work, I sometimes take walks by myself, familiarizing myself with my new environment. I've even made a couple of friends! And nobody on land seems bothered by my eye color, which is a nice change.

Still, I'm too scared to go anywhere near the ocean. I'm not sure what exactly I think will happen… I'm sure the Hunter gave up on me long ago. I just… I can't bring myself to go towards it. Perhaps because I'm scared that if I do, I'd want to go back. The thought is always looming at the back of my mind. It's very dull, but there is an ache in my heart. It's an ache that I doubt I'll ever be able to get rid of, for I was meant for the ocean. No matter how well adapted I might be to land now, it's not where I belong.

But it is starting to feel like home. I'm very comfortable living with Berwald, and he's doing his best to help me settle into human life. He's slowly teaching me how to cook like he does, and I'm proud to say that I can cook a few things by myself. Admittedly though, I do tend to hurt myself pretty often. Luckily for me, humans have this thing called a Band-Aid, and I have become fast friends with the little contraptions. They've saved the well-being of my fingers countless times. And I've gained quite a bit of weight. I was actually worried that I would become like the large humans on television, so overcome with weight that they couldn't walk without the assistance of a machine. But Berwald assured me that it was healthy and very flattering, and I've not given it a second thought since.

As thanks for the cooking lessons, I've made a habit of bringing lunch to Berwald while he is at work. The first time, I simply brought the bag that he had forgotten to him. I knew that it contained his lunch, and that he would likely be hungry the entire day if I didn't bring it to him. I nearly got lost on the way, seeing as he'd only taken me to his place of work once before. But somehow I made it, and he seemed surprised if not delighted to see me. It was one of the few times I've seen Berwald smile, and suddenly that became a goal for me; to make him smile.

So after that, I did my best to better myself in the area of cooking. I even practiced secretly when Berwald wasn't at home, slowly improving until I considered myself good enough to actually give something I made to Berwald. I made sure that the lunch he packed mysteriously 'vanished' right before he left, giving him no time to make a new one before he had to go. Then, as soon as he was gone, I got to work on a new lunch. I tried to remember everything that he expressed favoritism for, then packed it all into the little plastic containers and headed his way. I was just in time to catch him for his lunch break, and sure enough, I earned a big smile that day.

And since that day, I've made it my personal job to prepare lunch for him every day. It's the least I can do, considering all he does for me. And believe me, he does a lot for me. I've taken on a few other jobs as well, like cleaning around the house… But really there isn't a lot that I can do. I'd like to get a job like he has, one that pays money that could help him out. I'm sure that I'm no small financial burden. Unfortunately, I doubt I'll be able to get a job until I've familiarized myself better with the human world. As is, I would simply be too suspicious. Someone would surely catch on that I wasn't exactly… Human.

But Berwald never complained, never even mentioned it. When I tried to bring it up he would change the subject, or assure me that I was no trouble at all. I wished he'd tell me the truth. I want him to be honest with me, and I already know that I'm a burden, so he might as well just tell me. But I doubt he ever will.

He finally stirred, taking a deep breath that eventually morphed into a yawn. I smiled as he drew me closer with the arms he had just stretched, burying his nose in my hair as he relaxed again. I giggled, alerting him to my wakefulness. He shifted, scooting back a bit so that I had freedom to move as I pleased. He waited until I too had stretched, and allowed me to get out of bed first. As always, I took the first shower while he made breakfast, then we ate together. Following that he took his own shower while I made him lunch, then he'd get dressed and head out, leaving me to my own devices until he returned. During my free time I would clean, take a walk, watch the television, practice my cooking, and sometimes I just daydreamed. A few hours after noon, usually around four, he'd return home and make dinner for the two of us. On occasion we would go out for dinner, usually only when Berwald was really tired though. What we did after dinner was up to Berwald. Sometimes he'd want to go and do something, other times he'd simply want to partake in the things that I'd been doing, like watching television. Whatever it was, it didn't matter to me. I was just happy to be with him.

I guess I should mention my growing fondness for Berwald. At first I found him entirely too frightening to be likeable. But I was mistaken; he turned out to be a very endearing person. Very sweet and courteous, always thinking of my well being before his own. I grew to love the time we spent in the company of one another, and I looked forward to it all day. Even if it was simply taking a walk or conversing in front of the television, it didn't matter. Maybe I was overly excited. After all, it had been ages since I had come across someone who was genuinely interested in what I had to say, and had something to say in return.

It also helped that he waited patiently as I spoke, waiting until I had finished a thought to respond. Most of the Violet-Eyes would interrupt me mid-sentence, or ignore me all together. Mer are already social creatures, and I am the worst of the worst. I can talk and talk and talk and never stop. But Berwald is wonderful at listening, so it ended up working out. Though, sometimes, I think the things I say go over his head. Mostly things about Mer. And that's fair enough, we are a different species after all. For the most part, if he doesn't understand something he'll ask me about it.  
And we're both learning new things about ourselves too. I found out that it takes just as long to go from my legs back to my tail as it did the other way around. I found this out when I fell asleep in the white basin. (I've since been informed that it's called a bathtub, or bath for short.) Berwald was pretty surprised when he fished me out, only to find a fish. Well, half of one anyway. I'm actually kind of thankful for the delay though. It allows me to bathe regularly without having to worry too much about the change. My legs do get a bit scaly if I dawdle too much in the shower though. And it's pretty much unavoidable if I take a bath, so it's pretty rare that I indulge in one. Berwald told me that adult humans rarely take baths anyway. He said they don't have enough time for it usually, so it's something they partake in as a special treat. But he added that I shouldn't let the conventions of the adult lifestyle keep me from enjoying baths. And he even got me some special salts that melt in the water and make it smell lovely. So I try to take one once a week.

And, he doesn't know, but sometimes I add normal salt to the water. He has a big bag full of salt chunks in his storage room, and I borrow a cup or so to put in the water. I know it's pathetic, but it is as close as I can come to seawater, and it comforts the ache in my heart, if only minutely. I do it secretly because I don't want Berwald to worry for me. He has enough to fret about on my behalf. You should have seen him when he thought that he needed to provide separate living quarters for me.  
After the first two nights of sharing a bed with me, he suddenly decided that I must hate sharing my sleeping space, and he got up early to begin cleaning up the spare room. When I managed to stumble my way into the room to see what he was doing, he informed me that he was tidying up so that I could occupy the room. He promised to get me my own bed and everything. He spent the rest of the day fussing about the room. I eventually caught on to what he meant (I was still getting used to the human things he spoke of) and assured him that I didn't mind sharing the bed with him, so long as he was comfortable with it. After all, as I had previously mentioned, I had been sharing my sleeping area with another Mer for years.

He calmed down after that, and the entire escapade was forgotten in a day or two. Truth be told, I was actually a bit frightened of sleeping alone, especially in an unfamiliar place. I had grown much too used to the comfort of arms around me while I slept. Thankfully, he raised no qualms, and was quite affectionate in his sleep. Though we typically fell asleep apart from one another, he would roll over at some point and draw me near him, or lay his head upon my chest. But I didn't mind, it was nice to be held, and very warm.

Today I had decided to take a walk while Berwald was working. Thanks to my restlessness, the house was very clean, perhaps overly so. That left me little to do inside, and it was a truly lovely day outside. Perhaps I could even meet one of my friends, I thought. So I donned my shoes, already a bit worn out from my feeble attempts at walking. But they were becoming more and more comfortable the more I wore them, so I couldn't complain. I headed outside, locking the door behind me as Berwald had taught me to, putting the key into my pocket. My walks had become frequent enough that Berwald invested in a key for me to carry around with me, in addition to the one he had.  
I took a familiar path, one that led to a public meeting ground known as a park. I had stumbled across a few of them during my adventures, and I found them to be pleasant. They were always full of plants and people, each with a different reason for being there. Some came to relax in the sun, others came to enjoy eating outside on a blanket. Some brought their children to play on the monstrous and garishly colored equipment apparently made for just that purpose. Others still were simply passing through on their way to and from home. And quite a few were walking around aimlessly, just like me. I had made my first friend (apart from Berwald) at the park. He too had been walking, and he helped me up when I fell over. I thanked him, and was on my way, but I was quick to fall over again. At that point he became concerned for my safety, and offered his company while I walked in the park. I agreed, and a few minutes later we found ourselves fast friends.

Before he left, I learned that his name was Matthew. He told me that he was actually grateful for my company, as it was rare he had any. He was very soft spoken and easily overlooked, so he didn't have many friends. I admitted that I didn't either. He seemed surprised, but he grew more comfortable with me after I had said it. At some point we delved deep into conversation, letting our legs take us wherever they pleased as we picked through several topics.

He confided that he was walking in the park to escape his lover. Though he assured me that he loved him deeply, his lover was very loud and sometimes obnoxious, and Matthew liked to get away and take some time to his self every once in a while. I decided that was okei, and hoped sincerely that I wasn't interrupting his alone time. He shook his head, informing me that he was fond of my company. I was nice and easy to talk to, even if I was a bit peculiar. (That would be thanks to the whole "not being a human" thing.) We parted ways a bit sadly, but he let me know that he always went out for a walk around the same time of day, and he gave me a piece of paper with several strange symbols upon it. (Berwald informed me that it was his name and phone number when I showed it to him.)  
So I thought to myself, as I was walking in that direction, that the chances were high that I would run into Matthew. Today was, after all, the day that he normally took a walk. And that sounded nice; I could use a conversation partner. Not that Berwald was a bore, but a fresh face is nice once in a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's kind of funny that it took me longer to get chapter three out than it did for chapter two, considering I didn't have my computer when I posted chapter two. Oh well, it seems I lost track of time. I'm also trying to keep ahead of myself, so I resolved not to post chapter three until I had finished five, which I did last night. So here it is! I would have had it up earlier, but I wanted to edit it beforehand. It's a good thing I did, too, because this was wrought with errors. I must have been pretty tired when I wrote this chapter, because some of my sentences didn't even make sense. And I noticed that I replaced a lot of words with ones that rhymed, like we and he, and other such things. They were silly mistakes, so I'm glad I read through.  
> So, I'm super psyched for Supernatural Toronto. I know one reader is going, anyone else? If you're there, and you see me, you should def say hi! I'm going to be dressed up as Meg Masters 1.0 on Saturday. And I'm going to be doing a panel at Dodeca-Con next weekend, as well as entering the cosplay contest. I'll let you guys know if I place! (I'm not getting my hopes up, despite it being a tiny con, there are always those surprisingly awesome cosplayers!) I'm dressing as Ciel Phantomhive from Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji. You can check out my outfit on my deviantart page. (links found below)  
> I hope you guys are liking confused little MerTino. I've grown pretty fond of him myself, but I hardly count. Sorry if the story seems a little fast paced, but I have the tendency to dwell on needless domestic details, so I'm trying to get to the climax a little faster this time around. We'll see how that goes for me. I hope you're still entertained by my writing, I'm doing my best to improve, bit by bit!  
> Joo, so I'm not even going to lie... I might have to take a little break and finish Kingdom Hearts DDD. I don't know if everyone is aware, but I'm seriously the biggest Kingdom Hearts fan in my freaking state, if not the entire country of America. I'd say the whole world, but the Japanese can be a little... Ahem, anyway, I've been so worried about getting chapters written that I actually haven't finished the game yet, and that's seriously bothering me. I want to get it done before 1.5 Remix comes out. So I'm going to ask you guys to be patient with me if the next update takes a little too long. I'll try to hurry and finish, promise!  
> Okei, I'll let you guys go for now. Thanks as always for reading, and feedback is always appreciated! Feel free to check out my ask pages and my facebook page. My ask pages are kind of lonely. They're really the only excuse I have to draw something, and I won't do it otherwise! So if you have any questions for me or the characters of any of my stories, feel free to go ask! They don't have to be super serious questions. You could ask Berwald what his favorite color is! Anything goes! For realz this time, thank you for reading, and see you next time!
> 
> KuroRiya  
> 九六りや


	4. Chapter 4

When I returned from my walk, Berwald was already at home, diligently working on getting dinner cooked. I called to him from the doorway, letting him know I was home. He called back, welcoming me and beckoning me into the kitchen. Once I had removed my shoes and made the short trip, he asked me to sample something he was cooking, and I was quick to oblige. No matter what he made, it was always tasty. And, lucky for me, he seemed to like seafood. I guess it would make sense; he fished in his free time for some extra income, on top of his office job.  
After I had assured him that the food was tasty, he asked me about my walk. He always did that. Perhaps it was a simple common courtesy, and he probably wasn't that interested in my conversations with Matthew, but he always asked, and he always listened attentively. And, of course, I returned the favor, asking him about his day at work. It was never very interesting, consisting mostly of paperwork and annoying coworkers, but I made sure to listen to every word. He finished up dinner and brought it out to the table for us. We sat down across from each other and began eating, remaining silent through most of the meal.

"Tino?" He asked, drawing my attention away from my plate.  
"Mhm?" I prompted as I continued eating. It had taken me a while, but I had grown skilled enough with forks and spoons that I could eat without paying much attention to my food.  
"...Don' ya... Don' ya miss the ocean?" He wondered. I paused, taking in the words he had said, and set my fork down.  
"Why? Do you..." I hesitated, going over the possible meanings of his question. "Do you want me to leave?" I questioned, already feeling hurt by the thought of it. I thought that he enjoyed my company, but it would appear that the feeling wasn't as mutual as I believed. But his face, which typically remains pretty stoic, took on a look of mild panic.

"No! O' course no'! Ah jus'... Ah assumed ya'd be missin' it. It's yer home, after all." I sighed, relieved that he wasn't trying to get me to leave.

"Oh, okei. Sorry. And I suppose I do miss it a little." I lied. I didn't have words powerful enough to describe my homesickness, but he didn't need to know that. "But... I like it here a lot too. And I'm much safer." And that was pure truth. Even if the hunter had given up, it would be next to impossible to find my way back to the caves, let alone get there without being caught. "What I really miss is swimming." I admitted.  
"Hmm..." He replied, showing that he needed a moment to think. "Well, Ah know it isn' the same, bu' maybe Ah coul' take ya to a pool?" He suggested. I could only blink stupidly at him, as 'pool' was not a familiar word. "Um... It's like the bath, bu' much bigger." He explained.  
"Oh, I think I saw one on television! But... Aren't they public places? I'd start to change back if I was in for more than a couple of hours..." I pointed out, and he nodded.

"Ah coul' ask aroun' and see if we couldn' ren' one out for a day. Ah've hear' tha' they sometimes do it for Muslim women. Oh, and birthday parties, now that Ah think abou' it..."  
"So, it would be just you and me?" I wondered.  
"Ja."  
"Really? Can you do that? It would be wonderful to swim for a while! Oh... But I bet that would cost you a lot of money... That's what "rent" means, right? That you have to pay money? I don't want you to spend so much on me for something I don't really need." I said, my spirits falling already.  
"Don' worry abou' it. Ah can give ya a trea' every now and then." He assured, giving me a soft smile. I pouted for a moment, but eventually returned it.  
"Well, alright, if you insist." I exclaimed dramatically, getting up to take my empty plate to the sink. As I passed by, I whispered, "Thank you, Berwald."

-.-.-+-.-.-  
Surprisingly enough, it was actually pretty easy to find a pool that was willing to clear out for a day. The pool belonged to a local school (a place where human children go to learn about things.) But when school was not in session, they would occasionally open it up to the public, or rent it out for parties. It was, thankfully, indoors, so it would be difficult for anyone to see me when I changed. He scheduled a day, reserving the entire pool just for us. When he informed me of the plan, I found myself unable to contain my excitement. I hadn't had an opportunity to swim since I'd left the ocean, and I was looking forward to finally stretching the muscles I hadn't utilized in ages.

He warned me that the water probably wouldn't agree with me. He said they used chemicals to keep it clean, and that it would burn my eyes if I opened them. I frowned, but figured it couldn't be too unbearable if the humans swam in it. And he solved the burning eye problem by buying me something called 'goggles.' They were similar to spectacles, but they were strapped around the face and made to seal the water out. With those at hand, I was fully prepared for my day in the water. All I had left was to wait.

It seemed like years before the fateful Thursday, but when it finally came I made sure Berwald knew. I woke up after only a couple hours of sleep, before even the sun had risen, and wiggled my way out of bed. I took my shower, then went to wake Berwald up. He groaned as I shook his shoulder, glancing at the alarm clock on his bedside table. It was only five twenty, and he looked at me like my sanity was crumbling. But, with a few words of urgency from me and ten minutes of cuddling from him, he was up and making breakfast for the two of us. I made the bitter black drink of energy (also known as coffee) to make up for waking him so early. We couldn't even get into the pool until ten, leaving us with nearly five whole hours of nothing to occupy. If we ate slowly, that might bring us down to four.  
He yawned, transferring the eggs and bacon he had cooked onto plates, getting cheese from the refrigerator to put on top of mine. I thanked him, sitting at the island. He joined me, putting a glass of orange juice in front of me, and we began eating. I tried to go slow, to take up time, but it was all gone before I even knew it was in my mouth. I frowned, drinking my juice as I watched Berwald eat his own meal. He was taking it much slower than I had, sipping his coffee now and then, glancing my way on occasion. I smiled each time he did, fidgeting until he was finished at last. He got up, taking our plates to the sink and scrubbing the remnants off. I came to stand next to him, shifting my weight from foot to foot, wringing my hands together with my excitement. He sighed when he finished putting the plates into the dishwasher, turning my way.  
"How abou' we go ou' for a walk?" He suggested, drying his hands on a small towel that he kept near the sink.  
"Oh, sure! I'll go put shoes on!" I said, walking to the entryway to fulfill my promise. He followed behind, and I could have sworn I heard him chuckle, but it must have been my ears playing tricks on me, because he hardly ever did that.  
Once we both had shoes on, we headed out, walking towards my favorite park. There weren't as many people around at this time of the day, but there were a few people out running. Berwald explained that a lot of people would go for a jog in the morning. Apparently it was better to run early if you wanted to lose weight. I shrugged, not really that interested in the whole "physical exertion" thing. Strength had never been a quality of mine, so why bother with it now?

We walked around the trails a few times, but after an hour Berwald admitted that we would have to find something else to do. After a short debate with himself, he announced that we would do some shopping while we waited, and lead me into town. I wasn't sure what we were shopping for, so I just followed along where he led, gaping at the buildings we passed. I had been into town a few times by then, mostly to and from Berwald's place of work, but I was still amazed by the structures that the humans could build. He took me into a few clothing stores, occasionally picking out things that he requested for me to try on, though we didn't end up buying much of anything. We both acquired a new shirt. Truth be told, the fun for me was the actual experience. It was the first time that he actually let me roam around a store by myself and pick out things that I liked.  
Shopping consumed most of our remaining time, and we headed back to his home to deposit the shopping bag and prepare for the pool. Berwald gathered up all of the things we would need in a bag, then led the way back out of the door. I followed, my excitement rising yet again as we neared the pool.  
Someone was waiting to unlock the door when we arrived. She said that she would be back around five to lock it back up, and then she left. Berwald locked the door behind her, then ushered me inside. He lead me to a small room that had small compartments, made of metal, protruding from the walls. He said they were lockers, and that it was called a locker room. He instructed me to remove my clothes and put them inside one of the many lockers, and I did as I was told. He did the same next to me, exchanging his clothes for a pair of short pants. I blinked, wondering why he was putting clothes on if he was getting in the water. But then, he was a human, and they have this strange obsession with covering themselves, so who was I to argue.  
"Do I need to wear that too?" I asked, pointing at the article with a slight frown.  
"Normally? Ja. Bu' since yer legs are gonna change soon anyway, it'd be bes' if ya wen' withou'." He explained, his cheeks getting a bit red after he looked over at me. I wondered what that was about, but I nodded, trying not to picture what I would look like if my legs started changing while wearing pants. I imagined it to be pretty painful.  
"Right, okei. Are you ready?" I asked eagerly, already heading for the door.  
"Ja, hol' on." He instructed, removing his spectacles and pulling the goggles from the bag, as well as the towels he had brought for us. I tried to wait patiently, but I ended up bouncing up and down next to him. He finally gestured for me to leave the room, and I nearly fell over in my attempt to do so.

When I got into the main room, where the pool was, I could immediately smell something funny. I supposed that it must be the chlorine that Berwald had mentioned, but I never dreamed it would be that strong. Still, I wouldn't be deterred. I was going to swim, chemicals be damned. I turned to Berwald, trying to look as appealing as possible as I asked if I could go. I was already running before he had even nodded his consent. I hopped in with a big splash, elated to be in water at last.

Of course, in my haste I had forgotten the goggles, and I came up for air whining about the burning sensation. He shook his head with a small smile, offering them to me. He helped me put them on and showed me how to press them to my face to seal out the water. I thanked him, then returned to my swimming. True to his word, the goggles kept the water out, and I smiled to myself. I took my first breath under the water, willing my gills to kick into gear again. The water was awful, and it stung a bit as it went through my respiratory system, but it was manageable.  
The thing that wasn't manageable was swimming with legs! How on earth did the humans do it? It was no wonder they were such terrible swimmers. I hoped my fins would form sooner rather than later. In the meantime, I returned to the surface, swimming back to were Berwald was. He had only his legs in the water, the rest of him perched on the edge. I frowned up at him, pulling on his arm in a bid to get him swimming as well. I guess he wasn't expecting it, for he fell in with a splash, scrambling to right himself once he was in the water. He looked my way, sporting a frown, but I could see a bit of humor behind it.

"I thought you were going to swim with me." I pointed out, pouting at him. He sighed, nodding his head.  
"Ja ja, Ah'm in." He agreed, and I grinned happily. I waited a moment, then swam away as quickly as I could with my legs, hoping he would get the hint and chase after me. But he didn't, remaining stationary as he blinked in my general direction. I frowned, returning to him yet again, and pulled on his arms, forcing him to follow me with a bit of effort on my part. I finally got him following behind, but that was all he did; he didn't try to catch me, he just followed behind me at the same pace. I frowned yet again, turning around and swimming a circle around him. I hardly ever got to play, why was he denying me a game? Surely he knew that he was supposed to chase!

I was about to scold him for not being a sport, but I heard the melody from his phone playing. He apparently heard it as well, his face turning in the direction of the spot where he had left our belongings. He sighed, then excused himself, saying he'd be right back. I pouted but let him go, knowing it was probably something important. I returned to swimming alone, heading to the deeper part of the pool. I stayed under for a few minutes, swimming around the entire perimeter. When I came up, Berwald gestured for me to go over to him.

"Hej," he greeted when I made it over to him. "Ah'm really sorry, bu' one of mah coworkers called in." He informed me. I frowned, already knowing where this was going.

"So... We have to leave?" I offered miserably.  
"No, bu' Ah have to go make a business call for 'im. It'll take me a while, Ah jus' wanted to le' ya know." He explained.  
"Oh, okei. I can entertain myself for a bit. Come back soon though, okei?" I smiled when he nodded, sinking back down into the water. He walked back to the locker room, and when I popped my head out of the water once in a while, I could hear his voice echoing throughout the structure.  
-.-.-+-.-.-

By the time Berwald returned from his phone call, my fins had fully formed, and swimming had become much easier. As soon as I spotted him moving toward the edge of the pool, I swam to meet him. I pulled myself up enough to rest my upper body on the ledge, smiling at him happily.  
"Sorry tha' took so long." He apologized, putting his feet into the water again and letting the rest of his body slide in after them. I shook my head.  
"That's alright, as long as you play with me now." I assured, circling around him lazily as he remained upright and stationary in the water. He raised an eyebrow at my demand.  
"An' how do ya wan' to play?" He wondered. I grinned, coming to a stop in front of him.  
"You chase me, of course!" I replied, giggling as I swam away from him. It took him a moment, but he started following after me. He did his best, but after just a few seconds, I realised that there was no way that Berwald had any chance of catching me. He was so far behind, and swimming so slowly... But it was still fun to be chased, and I would feel awful telling Berwald that he's a terrible swimmer, so I slowed my pace, letting him think he was catching up. He seemed pretty proud of himself as he neared, reaching out in a bid to grab the end of my tail. But I was much too quick, speeding up to avoid him. I spared a moment to send a cocky grin over my shoulder.  
We went on like that until Berwald was panting and unable to move anymore. I gloated about my win while he regained his breath. Once he had returned to normal, I decided to give him a break, and we floated at the surface of the water, letting the small current created by what Berwald called 'filters' gently move us around the pool. To stay together while we floated, he held my hand, his fingers laced with mine. A feeling that I was unfamiliar with washed over me when I thought about our twined fingers. No one had ever held my hand, not affectionately anyway. Though it was foreign, it was a lovely feeling, and I was content to spend the rest of our day at the pool like that. My stomach didn't agree with that sentiment though.  
When the growling became loud enough for Berwald to hear, he stood upright, letting my hand go in order to walk towards the edge. I followed after him, stopping when I realised that I had no way to get out of the pool. I wouldn't be able to heave myself out, so I was stuck unless Berwald decided to help me out. And he didn't. He left me in the shallowest part of the water, going over to the bag. He took out a towel, drying his hair and face, then wrapped it about his waist. Once he was sure it secure, he grabbed the bag, bringing it over to me. He sat on the ledge, his legs dangling. After taking a moment to get settled, he opened the bag, removing a smaller one from inside. After unzipping it, he produced several containers full of food, placing them within my reach. I waited till he had everything unpacked, then started picking out things I liked, popping them into my mouth.  
"Jus' don' drop anythin'. We'd get in trouble." He said. I nodded, making sure to be extra careful with my food. As we ate in companionable silence, I couldn't help but think back to the time when food was scarce. I remembered filling my sleeping area with pearls several nights because of stabbing hunger pains. It seemed such a faraway memory already, though I hadn't honestly been on land for very long.  
And, as I thought of my old life, I inevitably thought back to my bed mate. He was nearly as small as me, so he had never fared much better. I wondered how he was doing. Perhaps my absence had been good for him; he had the sleeping area to himself. And there was one less mouth to feed, so he could take my share...  
But who did I think I was tricking? Certainly not myself. I knew that he was likely having a very hard time by himself, especially being mute. I could only hope that he would survive on his own. He had been doing alright when I left, but he and I were also sharing food. And without me talking to him all the time, he might grow depressed from loneliness. There were so many things that could go wrong, simply because I had disappeared from his life, and I felt truly guilty about leaving for the first time.

I think Berwald noticed my dark thoughts, for he captured my attention, and he too was frowning.  
"Are ya alrigh'?" He asked, putting his half eaten sandwich back into the box.  
"Yes, I'm fine!" I assured him, trying my best to put on a smile to be more convincing. But I could tell that I failed, so I let it fall without much of a fight. "I just... I'm worried about my friend. The one I told you of? He's very similar to me; Small and not very muscular. And he doesn't speak. I really hate to think of all the things that could have happened to him since I left." I admitted, casting my gaze anywhere but his face. I wished that I hadn't burdened him with my fretting, but what was done was done. He was quiet for a while, and I was too down to fill the silence with needless chatter.

"Wha' do ya wan' to do?" He finally asked, and I looked up to his face at last.  
"Want to do?" I repeated.

"Ja. Ya have two choices: Ya can go back an' check on him, or ya can assume tha' he's alrigh', and le' it go." He explained. I frowned even deeper. I didn't like either of the options. I feared the ocean too much to return, but I doubted I could ever forget someone I was so close to. But what could I do? I sighed, looking to Berwald as if for guidance.

"I... I suppose I'll have to put my thoughts of him aside for now. There is nothing I can do." I said bitterly, hating to admit that I was so powerless. Berwald nodded, resuming his eating. He gestured for me to do the same, and I picked up a sandwich, though I had lost my appetite.

After we finished eating, Berwald insisted that he wait thirty minutes before rejoining me in the water, and he wouldn't be swayed, no matter how I begged him. I swam off with a huff, planting myself at the bottom of the deepest part so that he couldn't talk to me. I was a bit miffed by his rejection. I expected him to be quick to comply, especially considering the depressed state I was in. Who cared if he got cramps? It's not as if that would be the end of the world.  
I pouted, half at him and half at myself. I was being selfish and immature, and I knew it. Berwald gave me practically everything I wanted, without a single question asked. I sighed, a few bubbles escaping my mouth. I returned to the ledge where his feet dangled in the water, surfacing next to him. His expression hadn't changed since I left his side, but he made an attempt at a smile when I allowed our eyes to meet. And I knew, at that moment, that I had no chances of ever staying angry at him. That almost smile would always melt my heart.

I laid my head in his lap as way of apology. He stiffened for a second, but then relaxed and rested one of his hands in my hair. I stayed like that for at least a few minutes, then pulled away, smiling at him. I lifted my arms up, signaling to him that I wanted help to get out. He grabbed me and heaved, managing to get me out of the water with a grunt. He sat me down next to him on the ledge, my tail still dipped into the water.  
"Thank you." I said, scooting a little closer, pressing our shoulders together so I could use him to support my sitting position.  
"Ja."

"I'll wait too. Until you can swim again." I announced. He nodded, running his fingers through my wet hair. He then proceeded to laugh, and my hands flew up to feel what he had done to my hair. It was sticking up where his fingers had trailed, and I hastily flattened it down, scowling at him as he continued to chuckle. "That was not very nice." I pointed out.

"Sorry." He offered, though I could tell by his dying laughter that he was not sorry at all. I let it go though, choosing to enjoy his company, funny hair or not.

-.-.-+-.-.-

Five came much too soon, in my opinion. Berwald insisted that I get out an hour before the lady was meant to show up, because we would have to leave when she arrived, so I would have to have legs by then. I made a fuss, but eventually let him coax me out of the pool with a promise to take me again soon. He carried me, with much effort, to the locker room, and helped me shower the chemicals off. Then he wrapped me in a towel and started getting dressed himself.

I sat, wondering how long it would take to make the change. Berwald, after finishing with his dressing, sat next to me, offering his conversation as a way to pass the time. We eventually got to talking about what I did when he was at work.

"Don' ya ever ge' bored? There isn' much to do at mah house." He admitted. I smiled, nodding.

"Sometimes, I guess. But it isn't as though there is anything else for me to do." I pointed out.

"Hmm... Maybe ya coul' ge' a hobby?" He suggested.

"A what?"

"A hobby. Somethin' ya do to pass the time." He explained. "Some people draw, or play instrumen's, or make clothes, there's lot's to choose from." I considered it with much thought, but wasn't entirely sure what he was talking about.  
"Is a hobby... fun?" I wondered.

"It's supposed to be."

"Well... It never hurts to try. But what should I do? I don't know how to do any of those things." I reminded him, frowning a bit.

"Learnin' is half the fun. An' ya can try a few ou' till ya find one ya like."

"Okei, I'll try. You'll have to help me though."

"Ja." He agreed, giving me a small smile. Looking down, I could see the form of the legs starting to show through, though my fins were still very prominent.

"Do you have a hobby?" I asked, never having noticed anything like one before.

"Ja. Ah carve things ou' of wood." He said. "Ah can show ya when we ge' back." He offered. I nodded, very eager to see what he had made.

We talked like that for about thirty minutes, and by then I had two separate appendages, however scaly they might have been. I got dressed, then returned to sitting with Berwald, though it seemed we had reached a lull in the conversation. I fell to an old habit, letting a slow melody slip from my lips. At first I just sang notes, but eventually I transitioned into words, old Mer. It was only used when we sang, and it sounded much different out of the water. Before we adapted to the human language, we could only really communicate under water. Our language was simply too complex for the lack of acoustics on land. But luckily the building that housed the pool allowed for an echo, so I didn't sound too terrible. I let the words flow, not truly thinking about what I was singing about. That is the way of the Mer. The lyrics come on their own, we sing about what we feel. It's natural for us, much like breathing.

I sang of the fear of my life before, of my narrow escape, of the savior that cared for me still, of growing affections.  
When I had nothing else to sing of, I let it trail off, opening my eyes. I heaved a sigh, feeling great after singing after such a long lack thereof. I wondered vaguely why I hadn't sung in so long, but I was reminded when I looked over at Berwald. His eyes were wide and transfixed on me, obviously captivated. My stomach lurched, remembering all of the stories of kidnapped Mer, forced to sing endlessly for humans.  
But, thankfully, after a few moments Berwald regained his senses.

"Tha' was... Beautiful."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter four is a go. It's funny, I refuse to upload the next chapter until I have the one two ahead of it finished. So I finished chapter six last night, and chapter four comes out. I do that because I want to have a few already written just in case, but it kind of defeats the purpose, seeing as the whole point of that was to avoid super long upload gaps. Oh well, at least I have a couple to fall back on should I hit any massive writer's block. It also gives me a one up on you guys, so when you review I can snicker at the things you do or don't guess. It's fun for me!  
> I'm typing this at my dad's house, actually, which is a rare thing for me. I live with my mom, but my dad is giving me a car, and I have to learn how to drive it. It's sad that an 18 year old is just now learning to drive. In my defense, it's a five-speed, so it's a bit harder than a normal car. It's a cutie though, itty bitty and red. (I wish it was blue. I might look into getting it painted. But that's so expensive... Ugh, we shall see.) Hopefully I'll be driving soon.  
> The other day, I simply couldn't resist, and I ended up writing the climax of the story! I know that's cheating, but I've been dying to do it since I started writing this, and you've got to write when you get the inspiration. Now I just have to make sure I mention everything I did in the climax. Let's just say, I have a lot in store for our favorite Mer and man. A LOT.  
> This past weekend, I was at Dodeca-Con, which is the first convention EVER in my city. It was tiny, but because of that I ended up making a lot of new friends, and managed to stretch forty dollars out into several purchases! I was actually working for them... Well, volunteering. And I hosted the cosplay panel, which means I got to dress up every day! And I placed in the costume contest! I was awarded “best representation/reproduction of an anime character” for my Ciel cosplay. If you'd like to see me all dressed up, I have some pictures up on my facebook page, at least one of each costume. Feel free to check them out, there's a link to my facebook in my profile!  
> For now, I'm trying to save as much money as I can for Supernatural Toronto, but it's proving very hard with all of the awesome Kingdom Hearts stuff and fabric I need to buy. The life of a cosplayer. I'm currently working on Natsuo and Youji from Loveless, and after that I'm planning on doing Himeno from Pretear with my little brother, who is going to do Hajime. I'm still looking for someone to do Takako/Fenril, but so far my search has been in vain! I'll never give up though.  
> Okei, I'll let you all go, sorry for Tino ranting at you every time I post a chapter, I just love talking to you all so much! I'd be tickled if you commented. Trust me when I say, the more comments I see, the more I want to write. So keep 'em coming, and I'll keep the chapters coming. Thanks for your time, and I hope to see you all next time around. For now, Auf Wiedersehen and Rakastan Sinua!
> 
> KuroRiya  
> 九六りや


	5. Chapter 5

I was worried about having sung in front of Berwald, but a few days passed, and he made no indication that he had any diabolical plans of making me sing to him for the rest of his or my days. I eventually came to the conclusion that it would be safe to sing around him on occasion. He did, after all, seem to enjoy it. So, when the mood struck me, I would sing for him. It usually happened sometime in the evening, after he returned from work and we were simply relaxing. He always listened with a peaceful expression, sometimes even a smile.  
Every once in a while I'd sing him to sleep while we laid in bed. I think he finally gave up on the idea of getting me my own, and instead just bought me some pillows to be added to his prior collection. So when I noticed he was having trouble sleeping, which happened a couple times a week, I would sing him a soft melody, and eventually he'd lull into slumber.

But he never demanded more when I finished, never showed any aggression. He just appreciated it when it happened. With this discovery, life with Berwald became even more comfortable. Mer sung all the time, it was practically a staple in our lives. It had been difficult for me to contain it for as long as I had. It was nice to finally partake again.

Other than that, I began filling my time with a hobby, as Berwald had suggested. After trying a few things, I decided that I liked drawing the most. Berwald made sure I had plenty of paper and pencils, and had taken to hanging my finished drawings on the refrigerator. It was a little embarrassing, as I knew I was far from talented, but my heart always fluttered when he praised each of my pictures. And, to be honest, I was improving a little bit every day. Not much, but I was definitely better than when I started. Berwald assured me that that was part of the whole hobby thing.

Berwald also gave me permission to invite Matthew over, and he had visited a few times already. He met Berwald on one of these occasions, and though he was obviously intimidated at first, he eventually warmed up to him. Matthew actually invited us to join he and his boyfriend for dinner some time. We agreed, though no definite date was set in place. He explained that he'd have to ask his boyfriend when the best time would be.

Speaking of boyfriends... I must confess that I was growing incredibly fond of my savior. Of course, I liked him after the third day or so. But my affection had grown exponentially as we got to know one another and grew closer. I hadn't ever had a mate; I was considered pretty young for a Mer, and there wasn't a very large selection in our cave. Most of them were too old for me, and what few young adults remained were already coupled. And, to be honest, I wasn't especially close to anyone other than my bed mate. Perhaps, given some more time, I would have chosen him, and he I. Or perhaps not.  
But I was happy that I didn't yet have a mate, for Berwald would have stolen my affections away in a heartbeat. He was a perfect match for me. He was quiet, patient, strong, caring, and brave; everything I needed to complete myself. Not to mention he was rather handsome with his piercing eyes that reminded me so much of home, and his masculine form. But I was unsure about his feelings in regard to me.  
It seemed that the actions directed at me were affectionate, but that was from my perspective. How was I to know if the flirtatious gestures were different for humans? It was then that I discovered romance movies. I needed to study up, so I began watching television programs and movies that depicted human love. I was delighted to find that courting rituals on land were practically the same as under the water. And, the more I was paying attention, the more I noticed how often Berwald showed his affections.

But still, how could I be sure? Maybe he was just that kind of person. I couldn't just ask him outright, that would be too forward of me. And what if he did not return my feelings? It would put strain on our still young friendship. Not only that, it would make the air around us awkward, and I might end up having to leave his home! These were factors that I simply could not ignore.

I did, however, begin trying to give him hints. Whether it was taking his hand as we walked, despite not needing him anymore to support my walking, or snuggling close to him as we got settled in for bed. He never denied me the contact, but nor did he react. It was all so confusing, and I had to wonder if courting was so difficult for all beings, or if I was just superbly unlucky.

I was on the verge of confessing my feelings to Matthew, in hopes that he'd be able to help me, but he spoke before I could, suddenly having remembered our dinner date. He called to Berwald, who had been in the other room, letting him know as well that he and his boyfriend had picked a day and time. He relayed these to Berwald, who took note of them in a small calendar book he kept with him. He and Matthew then engaged in a conversation about what would be served for dinner and whether Berwald should bring something along. I sighed, knowing I had missed my opportunity.

We drove to Matthew's house a week later. It was a truly terrifying experience to say the least. I had been introduced to Astrid, Berwald's car, shortly after I began staying with him. However, I had never been for a ride in her. She went much too fast for my comfort, not to mention it was a jerky and noisy ride. I made sure to inform Berwald of my distaste for his wheeled monstrosity, but he only laughed, ruffling my hair.

"Ya'll get used to it." He assured me, opening the back door to retrieve the dessert he had made for dinner. I frowned, not in agreement at all.

"I do not wish to grow accustomed to it. That was terrible! I'll admit that humans are very clever, and your ingenuity is incredible, but this," I gestured to the car, "was the worst idea you've ever had, aside from the stone launching sticks." I huffed.

"Stone launchin' sticks?" He mused, an eyebrow raised.

"Yes! They are shiny, made out of the... Metal. Made out of metal. And they launch little balls of metal, but they do it really fast so that they can go through things. They're always very noisy, they make a loud bang sound." I tried to explain, my memory fresh as I had seen them on the television as well.

"Oh, guns." He supplied. I frowned, not liking the name of the device anymore than the device itself.

"I hate them." I spat. I had never actually seen one in person, but I had heard about the horrors that 'guns' caused. That was enough for me. "I also hate bicycles. The humans riding them are always rude. They nearly ride them right over me, and then yell at me for getting in the way. But I was on the sidewalk! You said that the sidewalk was for walking, not bicycles!" I seethed. "Oh, and..." I was cut off as the door to the house opened, Matthew emerging to welcome us inside. I decided to save the rest of my rant for later.

He ushered us inside, taking the dish from Berwald and disappearing into a different room. When he emerged, he had another human by the arm. I assumed this was the lover I had heard about. He was tall, but still not quite as tall as Berwald. His hair and skin were both white, his eyes a reddish color. I realised that he was albino. I had seen a few fish lacking in pigment, but I had yet to see a Mer without color. This would be my first human.

"Tino, Berwald, meet Gilbert." Matthew said, gesturing to the man.

"Nice to meet ya." He said, giving us a grin that could have been read as condescending.

"You'll have to forgive his mannerisms, he's really not as rude as he comes off. He just has trouble expressing his emotions." Matthew explained, sighing to himself.

"Hey! That's kind of rude, don't ya think?" Gilbert gasped, frowning at his love. "The awesome me expresses himself just fine. It's West who has issues! Have you seen that totally constipated look he always has on his face? He's been like that since we were kids! But man, if you embarrass the guy! You should have seen him that time I hung his..."  
"Enough Gil, you're going to scare them off." Matthew chided, sending an apologetic smile our way. "Dinner is ready, if you guys are ready to eat." He added. I nodded eagerly, always excited to eat. Matthew led us into his kitchen, Gilbert pointing to two chairs when Berwald and I both stood awkwardly next to the table, not wanting to take the spots that our hosts usually occupied. I gave him an appreciative smile, sitting in one of the chairs, Berwald sitting in the other. Matthew and Gilbert sat across from us, sitting much closer to one another than Berwald and I were. The dishes of food were already on the table, and plates and drinks were in place at each seat. Matthew gestured for Berwald and I to get our food first, and, following Berwald's example, I did so. Whenever I finished with a dish, Berwald would pass it to Gilbert, who finished by handing to it Matthew. In this fashion, we each got what we wanted, and we all began eating once everyone had their food.

After we had all gotten a bit more comfortable around each other, we started some conversation. Well, mostly Gilbert and I. As it would turn out, he liked to talk almost as much as I did, and he had some pretty interesting things to talk about. Granted, I didn't understand the majority of it, but I played along as if I was a normal human. I also learned that "awesome" was one of his favorite words.

"And one time, when Mattie was making pancakes at, like, five in the morning, he totally flipped one so hard that it hit the ceiling! The awesome we had to wait two days before it fell down!" He said, grinning widely at his blushing boyfriend. I smiled, remembering the tasty flat cakes that Berwald had made a few times before.  
"Gil, that was one time, and..." Matthew tried to cut in, but Gilbert was having none of it.

"It's okay Matt, your pancakes are still the most awesome! Even if they do have bits of the ceiling in them!" He added, cackling. Matthew rolled his eyes, throwing an exasperated look my direction. I chuckled, showing him that I shared his feelings.

"Alright, two can play at that game, Gil. Remember the time that you got drunk enough that you thought you could beat me at hockey?" He asked, a smirk crossing his features. Gilbert froze, choking on his drink a bit.

"You said we'd never talk about that!" Gilbert exclaimed, the nervousness obvious in his tone.

"Well, you said we'd never talk about the pancake." Matthew replied, his grin widening as he turned to Berwald and I. "Gilbert and his brother go out drinking once a week or so. And... Well, let's just say they don't leave a bar without making sure they are drunk. Totally shitfaced, actually." I made a mental note to ask Berwald the meaning of the word 'shitfaced'.

"Gil is the type of drunk that gets really cocky and competitive." He continued.

"Come on Mattie, anything but this story..." Gilbert whined, his eyes round and hopeful. Matthew ignored him.

"So, on one of these occasions, he stumbles back home, sneaking into the closet where I keep my hockey gear. I keep some equipment for Gil too, so I can use him for practise. So Gil gets all suited up... Kind of." He trailed. I guess my face was begging for details, because he gave them.

"He had his head and arm both through the head hole, and let's just say that the padding was not where it was supposed to be. Once he's all dressed up, he barges into our bedroom, at three AM mind you, and shouts challenges at me until I finally drag myself out of bed. He then shoved me into the closet, demanding I get ready for a hockey match," he paused here, "I'm... I'm actually really competitive when it comes to hockey. So I humored him, mostly because I wanted to prove that he'd never be able to beat me at hockey. We played a quick game out on the street. Suffice to say, I kicked his ass." Matthew finished, grinning over at Gilbert.

"Ja, he won, but..." Gilbert started, Matthew cutting him off again.

"Oh, how silly, I forgot to tell them about you hitting the puck through the old neighbor lady's bedroom window, hitting yourself in the face with the stick at least five times, vomiting in the middle of the street, and crashing into the old neighbor lady's car. She still has a dent." He sneered, grinning triumphantly at the crestfallen look on Gilbert's face. The man look positively beet red, and I chuckled along with Berwald and Matthew at his expense.  
"Not to mention he mooned the old neighbor lady when she came out to complain." He finished, his grin widening.

"Alright, alright, you humiliated the awesome me. Are you happy?" Gilbert demanded.

"I'm getting there." He replied, muting his smirk to a kind smile, pressing a kiss to the larger male's jaw. With that, any animosity that had formed between them disappeared. I stared, trying not to let my jealousy show, but likely failing. I glanced over at Berwald, wondering how he was reacting, but, per usual, he wasn't really reacting at all. I sighed, obviously a little too loudly, for Berwald's head turned my way. I felt the rise in heat on my cheeks, quickly averting my eyes to avoid the question that was certainly in his.

When we had finished with dinner, Matthew suggested we all watch a movie together until we were up for dessert, and seeing as we had no other engagements that night, Berwald agreed for us. After a short argument between Gilbert and Matthew, they decided that we'd watch a thriller, whatever that meant. I settled in next to Berwald on the couch, Matthew sitting on my other side. The movie began playing, and I gave it my attention. I had to ask Berwald what the title was when it started, for I couldn't read the human language.

"Black Swan." He whispered.

-.-.-+-.-.-

About an hour and a half, a lot of mental trauma, and a couple pieces of cake later, it was time for Berwald and I to take our leave. We said our goodbyes to Matthew and Gilbert, and thanked them for the lovely night. They invited us to come over again sometime, as they had had fun as well. Then it was back into the wheeled monstrosity for the short drive back to Berwald's home.

"Berwald, I do not understand the movie that we watched." I announced. He spared me a glance, then returned his eyes to the road. He had been around me long enough to know that I was far from done. "She was a dancer, I understand that, but why did she always dance on the tips of her toes? It's hard enough to walk with the whole foot..." I trailed.

"Because she's a ballet dancer." He explained. "They're considered really special 'cause they can dance on their toes. No' many people can do it."

"Okei, that's great and all, but what was the issue with all of the other dancers? Why was everyone so mean to her?" I asked.  
"Because she go' the main role, which is somethin' all of the dancers wan'. It's the only character the audience really pays attention to. An' they though' she slept with her boss to ge' it."  
"But... What's wrong with that? I sleep with you." I pointed out. His face got very red, and he refused to look away from the road for even a second.

"It was a figure of speech. It means tha'... She was... Uh... You know... havin'..." He trailed off, seemingly unable to finish his statement. I blinked, waiting for him to say what he meant, for I had no idea. "She, uh, she was... Havin' sex with him..." He finally said, looking out of his window, even his ears red now. I paused, thinking over what he had said, then gasping when I understood.

"Oh! You mean they thought that they were mating! But I still don't understand. Why is that bad?" I wondered.

"Usin' sex to ge' things ya wan' isn't righ'."

"But... Why not?" I questioned.

"'Cause tha's not wha' sex shoul' be about." He said, his voice firm. "It's supposed to be abou' love. She didn' love him." He finished.

"Oh, she didn't? But why would she mate with him if she didn't love him?" I asked, more confused than when the conversation had started.

"Well, she didn't. Bu' like Ah said, people use it as a way to get wha' they wan'. And the other girls though' she had used it tha' way." He said, sighing.

"And that's... Wrong. Okei, then did she love the girl that she was kissing? What were they doing when they went to her house? Was that mating? She must have loved the girl, because..."

"No, she didn't love the girl, she jus' though' she was attractive. And they didn't actually... You know... She was jus' havin' a dream abou' it. Tha's okej." He said, cutting me off before I could rant too much. "And tha's no' really wha' sex should look like. They were jus'... Well, they were jus' horny. There wasn' any love." He added.

"Oh... Why do humans seem to mate so often? It's almost like you like it." I pointed out. At this, he finally looked at me, his face surprised.

"Uh... Merfolk don'..." He trailed off again.

"We mate, of course! We would have died out ages ago if we didn't. But we certainly don't do it as much as human seem to. It's not like it's much fun, after all."

He seemed stunned, not a word escaping his lips. I was curious about this silence of his, but he seemed uncomfortable enough, so I let it drop.

"Well, anyway, what happened at the end? I thought she killed the other girl, but then she was bleeding. Did she die?"

"Maybe. Ah'm no' really sure." He admitted. "She was hallucinatin' when she killed the other girl, so she actually stabbed herself."

"Oh, okei, I think I kind of get it." I announced, though I didn't really. We were quiet after that, not speaking again until we were in the house again. We both removed our shoes and were relaxing on the couch. Berwald was reading a book, which reminded me of something that had been on my mind since the beginning of the movie.

"Hei, Berwald?" I called, getting his attention. "I was wondering if, maybe, you could teach me how to read?" I gave him my best puppy face, one I had been practising since I had seen a rather attractive man perform it on the television. It always got his older brother to do what he wanted, so I hoped my face would have the same effect on Berwald.

"Sure." He agreed, beckoning me over. He got his magical light up brick (he calls it a cellphone) from his pocket, and pressed a few of the buttons. Eventually a bunch of symbols came up, and he showed them to me. He made them big so that I could only see one at a time.

"This one is A." He said. I looked at it, then repeated its name, trying to commit it to memory. "This is B." He said, moving to the next one.

"Like the little black and yellow beast that likes to sting if you try and taste honey?" I asked.

"Ja, it's said the same." He agreed. "This is C"

"I see." I said, smiling at my own joke.

We continued like this until we made it through the entire alphabet, as he told me it was called. He then decided it was time for bed, but he promised to print the letters off for me the next day so that I could practise writing them while he was at work. I nodded, thanking him. He said that I should say them aloud as I wrote them so that I might remember them better. But he added that I shouldn't get mad at myself if I could only remember the names of a few of them. It was, after all, my first time with them.

He led me to the bedroom, pulling out some pyjamas for the both of us. We got changed, then climbed into the bed, quickly finding comfortable positions. It was pretty routine at that point, as we always ended up in the same position anyway, me nestled against his torso with his arms draped around me. Even if we fell asleep apart, I always wiggled my way into his arms in the search of heat. We had long given up on personal space.

We laid together, both content, but neither of us could seem to find sleep. So, as I always did on sleepless nights, I sang, confessing the feelings I couldn't speak aloud in a language he could never understand. He sighed, his breathing slowing and regulating, his heart finding a calm pace as his body relaxed into my melody, his arms drawing me closer as he finally fell into sleep. I sang until I was sure the deafening silence wouldn't rouse him, then I too relaxed. I let the rhythmic beating of his heart, rush of air as he took in and released air, and his radiating heat lull me into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made promises, and I intend to keep them, so here it is, chapter five! My chapters are getting a bit shorter, I've noticed. But there isn't much I can do about it, because I stop at good cutoff points, and writing more would make me feel uncomfortable. So you'll have to deal with shorter chapters for a bit, sorry! At least they're coming at all, right?  
> I know I always write a bunch of apologies, but I'm going to skip it this time in favor of having you watch the video I posted about just that. It's also got a little update on the NSTAC sequel, and I've decided that I'm going to do a solo Q&A thing, since the SuFin author Livestream thing died. So go check out the video, if you're interested. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzA8CL7Sf7s  
> In other news, just twoish weeks until I'm off to Canada for Supernatural Toronto! I'm super duper excited like OMG. But I'm trying to keep calm and Carry on My Wayward Son. (Haha, I'm hilarious.) Just so you guys know, I'll be falling off the face of the earth for, like, a week for that, so expect a lull from me accordingly. I've been working my butt off for this, I'm so looking forward to it. Let me know if you're going to be there!  
> Okei, I'm sorry, but it's getting pretty late, and I work tomorrow. (For Supernatural money, of course.) Oh, but before I go, I'd be just tickled if you guys would like my cosplay page on facebook. I just recently made it, so it hasn't got many likes, but everyone has to start somewhere. I'll add that link to my profile! Thanks in advance!  
> This chapter goes out to NordicQueen. I hope you get around to feeling better, and I hope this chapter helps, even if just a little bit!  
> Now, for real, I'm going to bed. Hyvää yötä, KuroRiya out!
> 
> KuroRiya  
> 九六りや


	6. Chapter 6

After a few more weeks, I was growing very frustrated with my lack of the ability to read Berwald's thoughts. I had decided, somewhere along the way, that I was most certainly in love with the man. I was embarrassed to admit it, definitely. But love is love, and I figured that it was better for me to accept it than try to hide it away in my heart and pretend it never happened. But I was entirely incapable of telling if Berwald reciprocated any of my feelings. It never registered with me how impossible reading his expressions was until I needed to do so!

I tried to provoke him into reacting in a way that would indicate his opinion of me, but he was proving a worthy opponent. He simply seemed prepared for anything, as if nothing I could do would ever affect him. And it was torture not knowing! How I wanted to confess my feelings to him, to openly show him affection, yet I was too afraid of the rejection that was very much a possibility. If he dismissed my love, would he still allow me to stay? It would surely make him uncomfortable to have someone with unrequited feelings for him living in the same home, inescapable. And I didn't dare try my luck with another human. Despite having settled into my life, I was still obviously new to the whole "human" thing. If nothing else, my inability to read more than simple children's books would likely give me away. Apparently, in this, and most advanced, countries, everyone was required to receive several years of education, and therefore most were literate. It would be an immediate red-flag if anyone noticed my inadequacy.

And so I bit my tongue every time I almost told Berwald how I felt, hoping beyond hope that he would eventually get around to telling me first, if he felt the same way. That was, in fact, all that I could do. I was simply too scared to pursue it myself. But I at least tried to make it obvious that I felt more for him than simple companionship. As he slowly, and painstakingly, taught me new words, I'd lean against his side. When we watched the television together, I'd discreetly scoot towards him until he was forced to wrap an arm around my shoulders to accommodate for the personal space I had stolen from him. On the few occasions he joined me for a walk, I'd lace my fingers with his, regardless of the fact that I could now walk perfectly without his help. They were all things I had seen the humans do on the television, so I hoped he would get the message.

But life seemed to carry on as usual for us, despite the extra pushes I was giving him. I wanted to pull my hair out! I was going crazy with the need to know! I was flirting my face off! How had he not picked up on it? And what if he had and he was just ignoring me on purpose? There were so many possibilities, but it all seemed worst case scenario for me.

I finally confided in Matthew, spilling out my heart to him, sans the details about my not so human history. He tried to comfort me by assuring me that Berwald had feelings for me, but I could not be convinced. He did, however, give me a few tips, and informed me of a whole list of things to watch out for in my future encounters with Berwald. Before I left, he promised me that things would work in the end. He said that fate had a funny way of helping people find the ones they were meant for. I was, of course, skeptical, but I decided to take his words for what they were.

About two days after that, when Berwald returned home, I began my mental checklist. When he entered, I quickly came to the door to greet him, helping him shed the outermost layers of his clothing, as I always saw him do immediately upon returning. He thanked me, offering a smile as he sat down to remove his shoes.  
"Does he smile a lot when he's around you?"

That was one box checked off.  
Once he had made himself comfortable, he headed into the living room, flopping his full weight onto the couch and letting out a sigh. After finding his position of choice, he beckoned me over, pulling me against him as I sat.

"Does he initiate physical contact? Even little stuff, like brushing against you or a hug counts."

Make that two boxes.

"Was it busy today?" I asked, laying my head on his shoulder. He let out another sigh, nodding.

"We go' a huge shipment, and Mathias messed up the stock numbers, so Ah had to fix it." He vented, rubbing the space between his eyebrows. "Bu' Ah'm home now, so le's talk abou' somethin' else." He requested, and I nodded.  
"Okei." I agreed. We both thought for a moment, trying to think of a new topic.

"How was your day?" He finally asked.

"I visited Matthew earlier. Today is his day off, and he invited me over. He even made me pancakes for lunch." I offered. He smiled, ruffling my hair.  
"Tha' was nice of him."

"Mhm, I thought so too." I agreed, allowing us to fall into a comfortable silence. We relaxed like that for a few more minutes, then my stomach growled, alerting the both of us to my hunger.  
Berwald asked me to go to dinner. I could tell it was one of those days when he was too tired to cook for us, and I quickly agreed.

"Does he ever take you out? Like, to eat, or something like that?"

"Yes, but usually only when he's too tired from work to make us anything for dinner." I explained.

"Well, that could still count. Does he ask you if you want to go out to eat?" He asked.

"Um, I'm not sure. I've never paid that much attention." I admitted.

"Next time, make sure you pay attention. Because if he asks you, you could consider it a date." He pointed out.

"Really? It works like that?"

"Sometimes. Does he usually pay for the food?"

"Mhm, but that's because he doesn't really have a choice..." I trailed.

"Oh, right, you're unemployed. I forgot. But that's another indication; a lot of people will pay for their date's food. It's kind of cliché, but it's a thing."

"Wow... Courting is so complicated!" I decided. He gave me a funny look.

"Courting? You have such a weird way of talking, you know that Tino? You're like... An anachronism." He announced.

"Ananachronism?"

"Anachronism. It means that you seem like you belong to a different time. You just... You phrase things kind of differently than most people. But it's kind of cool, so don't worry." He assured me. I was wincing on the inside. I knew that I spoke differently than the other humans, but I had hoped it wasn't as glaringly obvious as it apparently was.

"Anyway, from the sounds of it, he cooks for you?" He continued, picking our previous topic of conversation right back up.

"Oh, yes. Everyday, usually twice."

"I wish I could get Gil to cook for me once a month..." He grumbled. I laughed, suddenly very thankful that Berwald seemed to enjoy cooking.

So that was three, if my math skills were to be trusted.

After getting shoes on, we headed out, deciding to walk to the restaurant, as I still wasn't very fond of riding in Astrid. It was a short walk, and we quickly arrived at a restaurant, one that we had been to a few times before. After a few greetings from waiters I had befriended previously, we were seated. We both glanced at the menu before ordering, me picking a picture that looked good. the waiter excusing himself to prepare our dinner. I looked to Berwald, who was in the middle of sipping water from the glass the waiter had brought him. I sighed, wanting to check off the 'going on a date' box on my mental checklist as well, but still unsure if that was what I was currently taking part in. I frowned with frustration, deciding to just take a chance.

"Hei, Berwald?"

He looked at me, giving me the eye contact I was seeking. I fidgeted, not really wanting to ask, but knowing I had to say something, or risk looking rather stupid.

"Um... What is this?" I asked, my words coming out more vaguely than I had intended. His brows furrowed minutely, looking around.

"It's... It's a restaurant. Ah thought Ah taugh' ya tha' already." He said, his eyes looking upward as he tried to remember if he had or not.

"N-No, that's not what I mean. I mean, what are we doing right now?" I tried to rephrase. He looked just as confused.

"Is this some kin' of tes'? We're waitin' for our food..." He replied. I moaned with frustration, my attempts at not being too obvious failing miserably. Berwald was actually pretty dense!

"Are we on a date?" I finally blurted, my face heating up before the words had even escaped my lips. Both his eyes and mine widened, and I buried my face in my hands, too embarrassed by my outburst to even look at him. He was quiet, and I worried that I had been too up front about it, and that he was likely planning how he would escape my company.

"Do ya... Do ya wan' it to be a date?" He asked, his voice cautious, as if he was just as scared about this topic as I was. I blinked, thinking about his question just as carefully before answering.

"I... I wouldn't not like for it to be a date..." I decided, looking at him carefully. He took a moment to gather the meaning behind my answer, then nodded.

"Ah'd be okej with it too." He agreed at last. But I didn't let my spirits rise just yet.

"So... It is a date?" I asked again. He paused, then offered me a small smile.

"Ja." He confirmed. My heart rate picked up, fluttering as if it had the wings of a bird. I finally checked off the last box on my checklist, looking down at my lap to avoid Berwald's gaze. Though it seemed that he maybe liked me a little bit, which was good, I was suddenly aware that he maybe liked me a little bit, and that was scary. Thankfully, the food came in time to save me from too much of the excruciatingly painful awkward silence that had fallen between Berwald and I. I used eating as an excuse not to make conversation, taking it in slowly to prolong my break. He, thankfully, didn't bother trying to interrupt my food intake, and we didn't speak a word during dinner. In fact, we didn't speak to one another again until we had left the restaurant. Having walked from his home, we had to walk back. And, with any walk of considerable distance, chitchat would be required. We began walking, the awkwardness still weighing down on my body, making me feel heavy. I frowned, not liking the feeling at all. Even though it would seem that we were maybe courting a little, I suddenly felt a disconnect with Berwald. And I didn't want that.

"Berwald?" I whispered. He looked my way, his expression hard to see in the dimming light, but I knew he was listening. "Since that was considered a... Date... Are we courting?" I asked shyly, waiting patiently for his response.

"If ya'd like to. Bu' mos' people say datin', nowadays." He pointed out. I flushed, ignoring the latter comment. I rushed ahead of him, cutting off his path and forcing him to stop.

"Really?" I demanded, looking at his face, glad that I had stopped him in front of one of the street lanterns, for I could determine whether he was playing a joke on me or not.

"Ja. 'Courtin' kind of wen out of fashion after the 1800's..." He began.

"Berwald!" I yelled, gathering the attention of a few passerby. He smiled, showing me that he was, indeed, joking.

"Sorry, Ah'm no' very good at makin' jokes." He admitted, chuckling before gathering himself and giving me his most sincere face. "But ja, really. Ah..." He paused, taking one of my hands in his. "Ah like ya a lo'." He announced, bringing my hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to my knuckles. I did my best not to scream with excitement and relief. "Ah jus' wasn't sure if ya felt the same, and Ah didn't want to make ya uncomfortable." He admitted. I laughed bitterly.

"I was thinking the same thing!" I agreed, then froze. "You aren't going to throw me out, right?" I asked, looking up at him fearfully.

"Throw ya out? Ah'd never do tha'." He said, frowning at the mere idea of it.

"Well, I was worried! It is your house, so you have the right to make me leave, and I was scared that if you didn't feel the same way about me that you wouldn't want to be around me, and then I would have nowhere to go, because other humans would notice that I'm not like them, and then they'd ask questions, and if I told them that I'm a Mer, they might torture me or make me sing for them forever, and that's why I didn't say anything, so please don't throw me out." I gushed. His eyes had widened at my outburst, but he quickly regained his wits, pulling me in for an embrace.

"Ya never needed to worry abou' tha' Tino, Ah'd never make you leave. Ah wish Ah could make ya stay forever." He confided. I blushed, my arms snaking around his waist as well.

"Really? You want me to stay?" I wondered, skeptical considering how much of a burden I was.

"Really. I love havin' ya around." He replied, this time pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"W-Well, I'd like to stay." I announced, tightening my hold on him. He chuckled, releasing me. He gave me a small smile, taking my hand yet again.

"Please do." He requested, pausing for a moment before resuming the walk home. I followed, not having much choice in the matter, thanks to our joined hands. Not that I minded.

We were silent again, but this time was much more comfortable. I was smiling hugely, and I'm sure anyone passing by must have feared for my mental health, but I could hardly care less. I was in the best mood I had been in since my trip to the pool, and nothing was going to spoil it for me! I was so happy, in fact, that I didn't even notice when Berwald took a turn that led away from the house. I only realised something was off when we passed the gates to my favorite park.

"Berwald, what are we doing here?" I asked, squeezing his fingers.

"Ah though' we could relax here for a while. Migh' be nicer than the livin' room." He pointed out. I smiled, nodding as he led me to the small lake located in the middle of the park. He found us a nice spot, then sat, his feet just inches away from the gently lapping water. I followed suit, removing my shoes after I sat so that I could get mine wet. The natural water felt nice against my skin, and I relaxed, resting my weight on my hands. But Berwald was quick to correct the posture that would soon be causing me pain, scooting behind me and situating so that I was pressed against his chest, his legs framing my own. I allowed myself a smile as I leaned against him. I was thoroughly happy that his confession had come with a whole new level of physical contact. I could get used to this Berwald pillow thing.

"Hei Berwald?" I prompted. He made a sound to let me know he was listening. "How long have you liked me?" I asked, using his previous word choice of 'like' as opposed to love. I didn't want to put words in his mouth, and it seemed to me that he was yet too nervous for that specific word. It took him a moment to answer me.

"Well, Ah though' ya were beautiful the second I saw you." He announced, pausing. "But Ah guess Ah started havin' feelings for ya a few weeks in. Ah jus' didn't wan' to scare ya off."

"I wish you had said something! I had no idea at all, you know! You don't drop many hints. I was flirting so hard, and it felt like you didn't even notice!" I scolded, twisting in his arms to give him a playful glare.

"Believe me, Ah noticed." He assured, sighing. "But Ah didn't wan' to read into it too much. Ya're kind of new to the whole human thing, so Ah though' maybe ya were jus' copyin' wha' ya saw on TV." He explained.

"Actually, I was. Human courting isn't so different from Mer courting, but I did study a bit." I admitted. He laughed, his frame shaking with the action.

"Sorry for bein' dense." He apologised, pecking my cheek. My face flushed, the heat radiating from the spot where his lips touched my skin.

"It's okei, as long as those kisses keep coming." I informed him, my hand falling over his on the ground and twining our fingers.

"Ah'll see wha' Ah can do." He promised, resting his chin in the crook of my neck, following my line of vision out to the center of the lake. We stayed that way until my feet started to look scaly, at which point he decided that we should really head home. He had work the next day, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't look at me, I'm so late, and I totally know it. Sorry guys. I might have started writing a Shingeki no Kyojin fic. I promised I'd never join the fandom, and then I did, and when I did... Well, it was pretty hardcore. I drew fanart and started a fic, and opened prompts... Well, truth be told, I work better when I have two stories at the same time. I'm better under pressure, and I'm able to switch between the two when I get tired of working on one.  
> But, because I've been working so hard on the snk fic, I've kind of neglected this one a little. I've not written chapter eight, so now there's only one 'just in case' chapter. I'll try to catch up again though. In the meantime, I'm utilizing one of my back ups so that I don't keep you all waiting any longer.
> 
> So, I'm back from Canada, and totally broke. But I got to kiss Misha Collins on the cheek. I got to touch Misha Collins. He liked my corset thing. I breathed in his scent. I felt his stubble. I am in love with a thirty-eight year old and I'm not even sorry. If you'd like to see the picture of me kissing Misha, the best place would be on my facebook page. Link in my profile!
> 
> I think that's about all I have to say this time around. Oh, right, I dyed my hair black today, so I'm no longer a blondie. (For now. I'm planning to go back eventually, but my hair needed a break from the bleach.) We just did it today, but I'm going to have to do another round, because a lot is washing out of the tips, thanks to the bleach. But my hairdresser prepared me for this. I'm just going to have to spend a week with pitch black at the top, and dark brown at the bottom. I need a trim now too, as it looks much different black than it did blonde. So much to get used to. I like the black, but I already miss the blonde. Time to invest in a few wigs, it would seem.
> 
> I'm leaving for real this time! Thank you for reading, and please send feedback if you have a moment to spare!
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	7. Chapter 7

The boring, everyday tasks that I usually found boring held new interest for me as I thought about my new relationship with Berwald. I was cleaning our house, and making my suitor lunch. The second I saw Matthew during a walk in the park, I unloaded all of my excitement on him, my voice raising in pitch as I said way too much, much too fast. I was gasping by the time I had gotten it all out, but he merely smiled, suggesting we actually start walking around.

"I'm glad it worked out. I told you he was interested." He reminded me, smirking. I rolled my eyes, a habit I had taken to during my time amongst the humans.

"I suppose you did. But he's so... So stoic! He's so hard to read, even after spending so much time with him. I think I've gotten a little better at it, but I still lack the necessary skills to know what he's thinking." I whined, frowning.

"That's normal, I think." Matthew offered. "I mean, Berwald is definitely a special case, but I have trouble figuring out what Gil is thinking more often than not. Knowing what other people are thinking is really hard, that's why mind reading is considered a superpower. So don't feel so down on yourself, it'll get easier the longer you're together. Just make sure that you guys have good communication." He suggested, smiling at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Just talk to each other. Make sure you're on the same page, that you understand one another's feelings about things. Miscommunication can be a big problem in relationships, but it can totally be avoided if you guys are open and talk." He elaborated. I smiled, nodding.

"Okei, I'll try. Thank you for the tips." I said, thinking to myself for a moment. "This is honestly the first time I've ever courted someone. I have no idea what I'm doing, or what I'm supposed to do..." I admitted.

"Since you two just got together, not much really. You should always start out slow. It's better for a relationship to be a little slow than too fast. Have you two done anything particularly coupley?" He questioned.

"Well, he holds my hand sometimes now, and he kisses me, except not on the lips. Just my hand or my forehead. Is that okei?" I wondered.

"Are you comfortable with it?" He asked.

"Uhuh, I like it when he does." I confirmed.

"Then it's fine. There is no right way to proceed in a relationship, you'll have to gauge it based on how you feel. If there's something that makes you uncomfortable, then you should tell Berwald. You shouldn't ever feel uncomfortable." He explained. I made sure to take intense mental notes that I could return to in the future, thanking him for the advice with a smile.

-.-.-+-.-.-

Berwald starting asking me to go out a lot more often. I learned from Matthew that this was normal human courting behavior. These outings were called 'dates,' hence the term 'dating.' I didn't mind so much, though I made sure to let him know that I much preferred his cooking to restaurant food. He'd also take me to indulge in activities that humans generally considered enjoyable.

The first of these excursions was to a place called a bowling alley. We haven't returned since, my foot aching every time we pass the building enough to make sure of that. I nearly got us thrown out of the movie theater as well, thanks to my rather verbal amazement. Let's just say, it was a very large television, and the sound was very loud, and I was very excited. Berwald managed to quiet me enough that we could finish the movie though.

He took me to something called a 'carnival,' where we learned almost immediately that I have a very intense and apparently irrational fear of these walking monstrosities called 'clowns.' I was appalled when Berwald informed me that they were considered cute and loveable, and that they were meant to entertain children. But, my horror for the garishly painted men aside, I enjoyed the carnival. He allowed me to sample a variety of unhealthy carnival food, which was all delicious. My favorite was the spun sugar, which he called cotton candy. But the funnel cakes came in a close second.  
He convinced me to try out a few rides, though my favorite ended up being the teacups, the other rides proving too intense for my poor heart. It took a lot of effort on his part, but he eventually got me on the Ferris wheel. And, after my initial terror, I found I rather liked the Ferris wheel, and we ended up riding it several times over.  
I was amazing, especially when we made it to the top. Looking down, I could see the brightly colored tents and the people that appeared to be tiny from my vantage point. I could spot the painted men, thanks to their strange poofy hair, but they were less terrifying when I knew they couldn't get to me. And I was easily entranced by the little floating bubbles. Berwald told me that they were called balloons, and that the ones floating towards the sky were likely accidentally released by children that normally pulled them around by strings. It was kind of sad, but still a lovely sight from the Ferris wheel.  
He finally got me off of it just in time to watch the amazing fire flowers that they shot into the sky. Berwald told me the name of them, but I wasn't paying attention, too wrapped up in watching the fire flowers. But he didn't seem to like me paying so much attention to them, so he was quick to steal it away.

That was the first time he kissed me on the lips. It was surprising, but not unwelcome, and it did the job of drawing my attention away from the fire flowers. Once I realised what was happening, I responded appropriately, pressing my lips against his and drawing closer, wrapping my arms around him. He pulled away with a dark blush covering his face and ears, stepping away from me stiffly. I laughed at his embarrassment, taking his hand in mine and getting up on the tips of my toes to initiate a kiss of my own. He was obviously flustered when I pulled away, but he stayed put, lacing his fingers with mine.

After that, kissing became a common thing. I ended up having to do most of the initiating though, as it turns out that Berwald is a very shy man. But he never denied me a kiss. I learned that the optimal times were; first thing in the morning, right before he left for work, when he returned from work, and before bed. I'd still throw a few in here and there, but those ones were for sure, he could always expect them. On the rare occasion that he sought a kiss from me, especially if I wasn't expecting it, I'd blush wholeheartedly, my pulse quickening with excitement. What can I say? I have never courted anyone before. And I wasn't anywhere near as bad as Berwald!

However, despite all of the happiness caused by my new relationship, there was also a downside. Now that I was being smothered in affection, I grew to loath the time Berwald and I were forced to spend apart. It felt incredibly lonesome sitting at home while he was working. My walks became more frequent, and I started visiting Matthew a lot more often. He never complained, but I was sure I was being a bother to him. I hated myself for it, but couldn't stand to be alone. Matthew said that would wear off after a while, and I trusted him, hoping he was right about that.

As always, Matthew was right. After a few weeks, my feeling of loneliness began to dissipate. Though I'd still miss Berwald, it was more than manageable. Yet, I was always excited when he got home, happy to see him, and kiss him, and eat with him. But, when he came home that day, something seemed a bit off about him. He was especially red when I gave him a kiss, and he was stuttering all throughout dinner. I assumed that something had happened during the day to make him act this way; surely it was nothing I'd done, for I'd done nothing aberrant. But when I grasped his hand as we sat on the couch, he nearly jumped through the roof, much to my surprise. He settled back down, but I was cautious with my affections after that, doing my best not to startle him any more than I already had.

As we lay in bed, my head resting on one of his arms and my hands curled against his chest, I could hear his heart racing, his breathing picking up, as if he was nervous about something. But we'd slept in that position many times before, so it was nothing for him to be nervous about. I was about to ask him if he was feeling well, but his voice cut mine off.

"Tino?" He called softly, obviously not wanting to wake me if I'd fallen asleep.

"Yes?" I returned, shifting to look up at him. I could see a bit of distress on his face when our gazes met. He opened his mouth, made a few sounds, then shut it again, his face flushed again. I was confused by this behavior, but waited for him in hopes that he'd say what he meant to.

"U-Um, Ah..." He trailed, looking away from me. He took a moment to gather his thoughts, then shook his head. "No, nevermin'. Sorry." He whispered, looking anywhere but at me. I frowned, but let it go. I wasn't going to force him into saying something he didn't feel comfortable saying.

"It's okei. Goodnight Berwald." I said, cuddling closer to his side. He tightened his grip around my waist, pressing his nose into my hair and inhaling my scent. Eventually his heart slowed, along with his breath, and I fell asleep to soft snores.

I had hoped that he'd be his normal, calm self the next day, but he was still in his jumpy, nervous state. I decided to ignore it for the time being, and allow him to work out whatever internal struggle he was having in whatever way he wanted to. Though I was worried, it wasn't my business. I gave him his normal kisses, and sent him off with a smile.

Of course, after he left, I took a prompt walk right over to Matthew's house. I knocked a bit too urgently, but he didn't mention it when he opened the door and welcomed me inside. He made me some tea and had me sit down on the couch before I could start burying him in my many questions.

"Matthew, I think there is something wrong with Berwald." I announced. He quirked a brow, putting down the tea he had been sipping at.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well, he... He's been very nervous since he got home yesterday. He jumps when I touch him, and he's hardly talked to me at all. And when he does, he's a stuttering mess! He's always so straightforward, he hardly ever stutters." I explained. Matthew furrowed his brows in thought.

"Did he say anything weird?" He wondered, and I thought on it a moment.

"Not something weird, exactly. But, while we were laying in bed, about to go to sleep, he started to say something, but then he said nevermind and went to sleep." I offered. Matthew hummed, biting the nail of his index finger, a habit he had while thinking to himself.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure, but it sounds like he wants to tell you something important, but isn't sure if he should or not, so he's hesitating." He said. I frowned.

"But, what would he be hesitant about telling me?" I questioned, and Matthew laughed this time.

"A lot of things, really. I ran over one of Gil's birds once, and I didn't tell him for three days. And when Gil broke an old mirror, he hid the evidence and didn't tell me for a month. It took him a whole week to say he loved me for the first time! Just be patient, let him figure it out." He instructed. We finished the tea, then he saw me to the door, waving goodbye with a smile. I sighed, thankful I had such a wonderful, clever friend. Though he was definitely the type that often went unnoticed, Matthew was unbelievably sharp. He picked up on things, and knew more about everything than anyone I'd ever met. I was truly fortunate to have him by my side, eager to help me whenever I needed him. He had easily put my mind to ease with nothing but a short conversation and some delicious tea.

I hoped, vaguely, that Berwald was having trouble saying something good. It would be awful if I learned that he was trying to ask me to leave. Maybe that really was it! What if he wasn't enjoying our courtship as much as I was? I never really paid much attention, but that could easily be so! I was so in love that I wasn't seeing to his needs. I whined lowly in my throat, suddenly hyper aware of how selfish I'd been in our relationship thus far. Who was I to say that he wasn't miserable, and just going along with me because I was obviously enjoying myself? Was I so blinded by my own feelings that I was missing his?

I slipped into the house, drawing a bath and getting in after adding some salt. Call it silly, but that was the best thing I could think of to calm myself down. And it worked, my fretting all but coming to a stop as I soaked in the warm water. I decided to stop worrying about it. Surely Berwald wouldn't allow our courtship to continue if he didn't return my feelings. He would have told me the truth long ago. I nodded absently to myself, letting my body slide further into the water. My eyes were starting to get a bit droopy, and I sighed. A little nap wouldn't hurt anyone.

-.-.-+-.-.-  
I woke to the sound of the door opening and shutting, startling me so that I slipped down further into the water, yelping as I did. The water had lost its warmth during my nap, seeing as I had failed to turn on the heater before I got in. I whined, unable to get out quickly enough, my movements sluggish thanks to the temperature. And, when I finally managed to get a grip on the edge of the tub, I realised that my fins had already formed, rendering me practically invalid.

Thankfully, Berwald had heard my distress from the doorway, and came running. He seemed surprised to find that I was apparently injury free, but quickly pulled me out of the tub when I explained my situation, wrapping me in a towel and helping me dry my body off. Once I was dry enough, he hefted me up and carried me to the couch, sitting me on it and wrapping a fuzzy blanket around me. I wanted nothing more than to cuddle into his side and share in his warmth, but he walked into the kitchen as soon as I was adequately blanketed. I frowned, a low whine escaping my throat as I watched him go. But I was too scared to voice my wishes, my previous worries resurfacing as quickly as they had faded.

I accepted that I'd not be partaking in any significant cuddling, and reached for the remote, turning on the television, flipping through the channels until I found one meant for children. Though it hurt my pride a little, I knew that watching these programs was a good way to learn the ways of the human world. Though Berwald was a good teacher, he didn't have much spare time for it. So I had quickly learned to rely on the television to fill in the rest. I had already improved with the alphabet, and had managed to learn quite a few basic words, enough that I could write short sentences. And Berwald even taught me to write my own name, something I was immensely proud of.

A sweet smell began wafting my way, and I reasoned that Berwald had likely begun dinner. Though, with a dubious glance at the clock, I learned it was much too early for that. Surprisingly enough, Berwald was home pretty early in the afternoon. But what else could he be doing in there? I let it drift from my mind, figuring I would learn what he was doing sooner or later. If worst came to worse, I'd be partaking in an early dinner. I focused on learning how to spell apple instead, saying each letter aloud to myself, trying to memorize it before they moved on to a new word. It felt pathetic, learning words so simple, but it was necessary, I knew.

A few minutes later, Berwald reemerged from the kitchen, carrying two steaming mugs. I frowned, wondering if he had made me the bitter drink of energy, despite knowing that I disliked it. But when he handed the mug to me, I noticed that it wasn't nearly dark enough to be coffee, much milkier in appearance. I looked to him for guidance.

"It's ho' chocolate." He explained, encouraging me to take a drink. I contemplated it, noting that I did indeed like chocolate, and eventually gave in, taking a small drink. I smiled as it hit my tongue, looking to Berwald appreciatively as I took a bigger drink. It was sweet and chocolatey, but also warm. I could feel it radiating out from my stomach, reaching as far as my stiff fingers. He allowed himself a small smile at my reaction, wrapping an arm around my shoulders and scooting closer so that I could snuggle up to him. I sighed happily, glad that he was going to indulge me in my want for physical contact.

I forgot the program entirely, too busy falling asleep against his shoulder to care about the spelling of banana. I made sure I had downed the entire mug of its delicious contents before I sat it aside, adjusting so that I was in a more comfortable position. He waited till I was finished, then settled himself, drawing some of the blanket over his own lap, then guiding my head to rest in the crook of his neck. I did so gladly, blindly searching for his hand and then lacing my fingers with his when I located it.

"Ya shoul' be more careful abou' where ya fall asleep." He pointed out. I chuckled, squeezing his fingers between mine.

"I know. I didn't mean to stay in so long. I assumed I'd wake before the water could get that cold, but I guess I shouldn't give myself so much credit." I said, scoffing.

"Ah taugh' ya how to use the heater, didn't Ah?" He wondered.

"You did. I didn't think it'd be necessary. I was just trying to relax for a bit. I came home so flustered that I..." I cut off, realising my mistake much too late. I felt Berwald shift beside me, turning so that he could look at me, even if I couldn't return the eye contact myself.

"Flustered?" He prompted, making me sigh.

"Don't worry about it, I'm fine now. I was just worrying about silly things." I replied, waving off his concern. Of course, this being Berwald, he was having none of that.

"Tino, silly or not, Ah wan' to hear abou' it." He said firmly, almost scolding me. I frowned, finally turning to meet his eyes.

"It's really not important, I promise." I assured, trying to get him to drop the subject, but his gaze didn't falter. I made a feeble attempt of beating him at a staring contest, eventually finding it too uncomfortable and caving in to his wishes. This, of course, ended with me gushing out every last detail to him, my mouth unable to hold anything back.

"I just... You were acting rather strangely yesterday, and it had me worried. You were kind of stiff, and you kept almost saying something, but then not saying it, and you were nervous all night, and this morning, and I just wasn't sure what to think. So I went to talk to Matthew after you left for work, and he said that you probably have something important you want to tell me, but you're scared to. Uh, well, he said you weren't sure if you should tell me or not." I paused for breath here, too scared to look at Berwald. "But he said I shouldn't worry, so I tried not to, but then I tried to figure out what you might be trying to tell me, and I thought that maybe you didn't like me as much as I like you, and you were trying to tell me that you want me to leave, or you don't want to court me anymore, and then I realised that I haven't really been paying attention to your feelings at all, and I felt bad. So I tried to put it out of my mind, because I knew you'd be like 'why're ya worryin' bou' such things, silly Tino' and that's why I took a bath, because it helps me relax, but then I fell asleep, and you came home and saved me from freezing to death, but then I thought you didn't want to cuddle, because you went into the kitchen right after you put me on the couch, but then you came back with that drink stuff that was really good, and so I didn't really need to worry. Sorry." I finished at last, looking down to hide my embarrassment at my flustered explanation.

He was silent for a while, obviously trying to pick his way through everything I had said. Once he had caught up, he sighed, drawing me closer to him. He pressed his nose to the crown of my head, something I'd noticed he had a habit of doing. I wondered if my hair really smelled that good.

"...Ah'm sorry tha' Ah stressed ya ou' so much." He apologised, his fingers clenching nervously against mine. "Ah should have been more careful abou' the way Ah was actin'. Ah didn't think it'd worry ya so much." He admitted. I frowned, wanting to tell him that it wasn't really his fault, but he didn't give me the chance.

"Ah... Ah do have somethin' to tell ya." He said. I shifted in his arms to face him completely, sensing that this was when I was going to get my answer, be it good or bad. He looked uncomfortable, but my legs had formed enough that I was able to straddle his legs and prevent him from escaping. It took him a long time to speak again, and he looked everywhere but my eyes, but he did eventually say what he wanted to.

"Well, ya know tha' Ah like ya a lo'." He began. I nodded, smiling at the tidbit. "Bu' Ah never really... Never really tol' ya how much. And Ah feel like we've gotten a lo' closer, especially since you came to live with me, but even jus' these pas' couple weeks. So Ah... Ah think Ah can honestly say... Um... Ah..." His face got redder than I'd seen before, and I worried that he might lose consciousness with so much blood rushing to his face. I smiled encouragingly, willing him to get it out so he could calm down.

"A-Ah l-" He stopped yet again, taking a few breaths. I laughed awkwardly, lacing my fingers with his. I had an idea where he was going with this, but I had to hear it from him before I could truly believe it. He finally screwed his eyes shut and said it in one fell swoop.

"Ah love ya!" He shouted, his proclamation met with naught but a deafening silence. I grinned, but didn't respond, waiting patiently for him to open his eyes. He kept them closed for what seemed an eternity, but when he did open them, he was met with a flurry of kisses, courtesy of me. He made a surprised noise, but was quick to relax into it, pulling me against him with hands around my waist. This kissing was much more powerful than what we normally took part in, our lips rarely separating and air scarce, but I liked the desperation of it all, the way my head spun. When I eventually had to pull back for air, I finally returned his sentiment.

"I love you too, Berwald. I have, for a quite a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I caught up to myself, aren't you guys proud? I'm two chapters ahead again, thank goodness. The only reason I was so jumbled in regards to the last update was because I went to Canada for the convention, and came back literally right in the middle of eremin week! I had to contribute, my precious dorks required it! But eremin week is over, and I've already updated What Lies Beyond the Walls, so I had some time to play catchup with this story.
> 
> I nearly forgot how much I adore these two. Their domestic fluff-filled lives are enough to give me cavities. They are basically the cotton candy of the fanfiction world. It's a really stark contrast to my eremin story, which is kind of angsty and painful. It's still fluffier than a lot of the stuff in the snk fandom though... I can't seem to help myself. Speaking of, all of the prompts I filled for eremin week are up on FF and Ao3, under the title How Many Ways Can You Fall in Love. (The smutty ones are in a separate fic called How Many Ways Can You Fall into Bed on Ao3) So if you want to see what had me all tied up recently, check it out!
> 
> So, KuroRiya update! I'm officially a D20 girl! {cue applause} Oh yes, that's right! I had my interview about a week and a half ago, I think? And for some reason they all think I'm just the most awesome thing that rolled into their scene, and hei, who am I to argue? I'm kind of the baby of the group now, so I'm still getting used to being called cute... I'm so used to Anime Club, where I was everyone's sempai, and they wanted me to notice them. How the tables have turned! Unfortunately, the first event I get to attend with them isn't until January. But they're already proving to be a very sweet group of gals!  
> Aaaand it is Halloween, and I have much planning to do, so this is goodbye for today! Happy Holidays, and I hope you all enjoyed the update! Feedback is always appreciated!
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	8. Chapter 8

Despite the big deal we made out of saying we loved each other, not much changed, aside from more frequent displays of affection. It was nice that Berwald was more confident in his actions, sweeping me into his arms for kisses when I wasn't expecting it. He also found out that I'm rather fond of flowers, and had planted a small garden for me. I was quite surprised by the gesture. He was such a smart man though; He could have simply bought me a bouquet, like the people on the television did. But he'd given me something more permanent. I could enjoy the flowers until winter came, and not only that, it gave me something to do while he was away.

He was impressed by how well I cared for my blooms, and he promised that next year I could pick out the seeds that I wanted and grow them myself. I was fine with the ones he'd chosen though. Not many flowering plants grew near the ocean, so I was seeing the majority of them for the first time. I found myself fond of the little white ones, and he said they were called lilies of the valley. They actually began growing little berries after a few weeks, but he informed me, quite sternly, that they were incredibly poisonous, and I should refrain from eating them. I was lucky he hadn't seen the little basket of them that I had picked, and it promptly found a place in the waste bin.

I seriously started to contemplate getting a job. Something simple, anything really. I just desperately wanted to help financially. The longer I stayed with Berwald, the more I realised how expensive I was. I began to grasp human currency, and I was shocked to learn just how much feeding me was taking out of Berwald's wallet. But when I brought it up, he pointed out that it would be hard to find a job that didn't involve any kind of reading whatsoever. Even fast food restaurant employees had to be able to read.

Finally, after searching around on my behalf, he found something that sounded promising. A small pet shop near our house was hiring, and all the position consisted of was dealing with the animals. I went in for the interview, and half an hour later walked out with a job. Berwald was pleased, and he doubled the time spent helping me learn to read, just in case.

My first day was spent learning exactly what was expected of me. I had to feed all of the animals every day, make sure they were doing well, clean out their aquariums, kennels, and enclosures. If someone did purchase a pet, it was my job to get them ready to be taken home. I immediately took to it, loving the chance to spend time with so many animals. And, because of my job, I got to play with them pretty regularly. The bunnies and I had a particularly good relationship. And there was a whole area dedicated to fish, a place I tended to frequent.

The entire part of the store was ceiling to floor aquariums, and bathed in the blue light, surrounded by colorful fish, it almost felt like I was in the ocean again. My coworkers didn't seem to mind that I lingered there, as long as my other work was done. The only other thing I was in charge of was cleaning, and I took care of that quickly, never letting it get messy enough to warrant more than an hour of janitorial work.

After I'd been there for a while, and customers grasped my permanence, they started talking to me. A man named Ludwig came in every couple of weeks to buy food for his three dogs. Sometimes he had another man with him, a very cheerful man with a funny way of speaking. I always helped him carry the big bags to the counter and out to his wheeled-monstrosity.

I also saw Gilbert pretty frequently, as he bought his bird feed from the shop as well. I later found out that he and Ludwig were brothers, when they came at the same time one day. When they stood next to each other and bickered affectionately, I saw the resemblance. I learned that Gilbert was actually the older brother, despite his immature personality. It kind of made me long for a sibling, but it was probably for the best I didn't have one. They probably would have been born with eyes like mine. But thinking on it, my bedmate had been akin to a younger sibling. But that thought only made me that much sadder, so I tried to avoid that line of thought.

Another man, named Antonio, came in for turtle food. He always bought a lot, and I once made the mistake of asking him the names of his turtles, for I knew he must have more than one to require that much food. Twenty minutes and countless turtle names later, I decided it was best not to inquire about such things in the future.

Customers aside, I made friends with another employee, a man named Eduard. He informed me that he wasn't really that fond of animals, but the store was close to the school he attended, and he needed an income to fund said school, as well as his cost of living. Though he had different interests, we became fast friends, especially considering how often our shifts overlapped. Somehow he managed to pick up on my inability to read, and he helped me when it became an issue, which was rare. The nice thing was that he didn't question it. Maybe he sensed that it wasn't something I was keen on talking about.

And the more we talked with one another, the more I realised we had in common. He described himself as a nerd, and I decided the term was appropriate for me as well. He approved of my favorite television programs, and suggested a few that I should watch. I liked his as well, I came to find out. When he figured out that we shared a passion for what were apparently outdated cartoons, he started bringing me DVDs to watch. There were more titles than I could remember, but I was particularly fond of the Powerpuff Girls, and a delightful show about trolls called Moomin.

I was surprised when Berwald walked in on me watching the latter show, his eyes going wide as he joined me on the couch. As it turns out, Berwald used to watch the Moomin show as a child. After some rummaging, he managed to locate some of his old Moomin merchandise, which he promptly donated to me, much to my delight. He must have been large, even as a child, for his old shirts fit me. I wasn't going to complain though.

Eduard thought it was funny how quickly I took to the show, but he too gave me some old Moomin stuff of his, saying he was glad to unload it with someone he knew would take care of it. I assured him his faith was not misplaced, and made sure I was extra careful with the things I'd been gifted with. A corner of our room was now dedicated to the show, a small alter set up. Berwald shook his head with disdain every time he passed it, but he made no move to take it down.

Berwald stopped by on occasion, usually when he had a little extra time for lunch and wanted to share it with me. Most of my coworkers were terrified of him at first, but he quickly grew on them, and they began greeting him when he stopped by, some even striking up conversation if I was too tied up to get to him immediately. I was glad to see that Berwald was making some acquaintances at least, for I was starting to realise that he really had no other friends, myself aside. And I didn't count anymore, for we were courting. He mentioned a Mathias guy from work sometimes, but I never saw head or tail of said man. Not that my fellow employees could really be considered his friends, but they were friendly towards him, which was an improvement.

I now had a lot of things to occupy my time, between my job, learning to read, caring for the garden, and paying attention to my love. But working at the pet shop made me ache for an animal of my own to take care of. I brought it up with Berwald, and, after a few kisses and vehement promises, he agreed to let me have one. With my income added to his, we were more than capable of taking care of something. He drove me to the shop that day, surprising Eduard at the cash register, for I wasn't scheduled to work. I explained that we were customers, and he nodded in understanding. He himself had recently taken a little hamster home, unable to resist its charms.

Berwald had already informed me that cats and dogs were off limits. I had been kind of mad about that, because my first choice was a dog, but he explained that he wanted to start with something small, since I'd never kept a pet before. So, now unsure of what I wanted, we browsed around. I played with the bunnies for a while, but decided they were too messy for my taste. I already cleaned up after them at work, I didn't want to return home and do the same. The same went for the other rodents, though I did consider a particularly fluffy teddy bear hamster. Next on my list was a snake, but the reptiles seemed to make Berwald kind of uncomfortable, so I spared him that one. Birds were annoying in my opinion, too loud for my taste. So that left fish.

I almost laughed, because that was such an obvious choice for me. I knew where each type of fish resided, and showed my favorite to Berwald. They were just guppies, apparently very common. But I thought them beautiful, their long tails like pretty veils. Berwald nodded his approval, and I picked out a lively white one that I actually had trouble catching. Eduard helped me decide on an appropriate tank, then waved us off as we headed home. The fish rode in my lap. I nodded in understanding as it flitted about inside of its small bag, obviously frightened by the small space, the jostling, the strange creatures suddenly handling it.

Berwald started setting the tank up as soon as we got home, and I whispered to my new friend in a bid to calm them down. It was silly, I knew. Fish didn't have enough intelligence to speak, though they did communicate a little bit, if only to form schools and mate. Still, I understood the poor thing's struggle, having been in a similar situation countless times.

Berwald had the tank up and running in no time at all, and I transferred the bag to the waterline, letting the water temperature adjust, as I'd been taught at the shop. While my new pet was warming up, I was left to think of a name. I'd never named anything before, and Berwald was hardly a help, suggesting things like Henry and Mary. I was disgusted by his boring choices.

"Berwald, that's terrible! What if you were named Henry?" I demanded. He quirked a brow.

"Then mah name woul' be Henry." He said, shrugging.

"No, no, no! That's horrible! I don't want to call you Henry!" I cried.

"Then don't, it's no' mah name." He replied simply. I whined in frustration, crossing my arms over my chest with a huff. He sighed pulling his light-up brick from his pocket and tapping it to life. "Come here." He beckoned, drawing me to his side. I tried to read the words on the screen, but could only pick out 'name.'

"What is it?" I asked.

"A name-generator. What are some things ya like?" He questioned. I thought about it, looking around the house for help. My eyes fell on the window, and I smiled as I thought about my garden, just outside of it.

"Oh, flowers! I like flowers!" I decided. He nodded, typing that in.

"Somethin' else?" He prompted. I furrowed my brow again, looking around in hopes of another epiphany. But all I could really find was the plates from breakfast.

"Um, eggs?" I offered. His face showed his skepticism, but he didn't argue, typing that in as well. I giggled, thinking it rather funny that he'd actually taken the suggestion.

His phone loaded for a minute, then a long list popped up. He explained that they were all the two words combined into one, in several world languages. He began reading them off to me, making me laugh at the ridiculousness of some of them.

"Blumei, Kukkamuna, Hanatamago, Fiorequovo..."

"Oh!" I gasped, and he stopped, disbelief already on his face. "That second to last one!" I said, and he looked again.

"Hanatamago?" He asked incredulously. I grinned.

"Yes! That's perfect! Hanatamago! But, uh, we'll just say Hana for short." I decided. He stared at me for a while, but just shook his head. It was my pet, so I had the right to choose the name. I was beaming as I went over to the fish and informed it of its new name. It didn't react much beyond changing the direction it was swimming in, but that was alright, because the name suited it well. She, I decided. Hana sounded like a female name. I knew that the male fish tended to be prettier, but it was pretty much impossible to tell until mating season anyway, so I'd think of her as a girl, whether it was accurate or not. Who was to say that she wasn't a he that desperately wanted to be a she? I used to think like that, wishing I was female so I could find a male mate to protect me. I could still have a male mate, but I'd be expected to take care of myself.

But Berwald didn't follow that standard, always making me feel safe, loved, taken care of. I beckoned him over, lacing our fingers together and getting up on tip-toes for a kiss. He smiled, returning it easily. He pushed my bangs aside, pressing kisses from my forehead, down my nose, across my cheeks, to my chin, then he finally gave me another on my lips. I giggled, wrapping my arms around his neck and letting him support some more of my weight. He took it easily, his hands finding my waist to help with the balance.

We just stood there looking at each other for a while, small smiles gracing our lips. Then he swung me gently, spinning me around. I stumbled a bit clumsily, but he didn't let me fall, walking me backwards a little before spinning me again. I laughed gleefully, realising we were dancing, and tried to mimic his steps to the best of my ability. I wasn't any good, but being whirled around was delightful.

"Berwald, there's no music!" I pointed out, and he shrugged.

"Do we need it?" He wondered, and I nodded.

"Yes we do!" I said, firmly. I thought about my options. There were some music channels on the television, but turning one on would involve separating from Berwald. I opted to provide the music myself, opening my mouth and letting the less familiar Mer language spill from my lips. The longer I spent talking with Berwald, learning new words, learning to read, the more I felt I was forgetting of old Mer. The words I sang were simple, child's speak. Other Mer would be appalled, but I didn't mind as much as I should. The only thing I used the language for was singing anyway.

Berwald adjusted our pace to match the song I was singing, slowing down to a gentle sway. I smiled as the melody fell away, and he pulled me in for another round of kissing. Even after we'd separated, he kept our foreheads together, our noses squished against each other, eliciting a chuckle from me. He suggested I release Hanatamago from her baggie prison, and I did, letting her swim into her much larger tank. She took a moment to get used to her new surroundings, but was quick to claim her favorite hiding places. I was glad she was making herself at home, and I quietly promised to get her some friends when I thought Berwald wasn't paying attention.

He made his way to the kitchen and began dinner. I decided to check on my garden while he was busy with that, coming back just in time to wash the dirt my fingers had collected off and sit for dinner. Berwald made sure to remind me, several times, that I was responsible for feeding my new friend, and not to forget, or she'd die. I rolled my eyes, reminding him, several times, that I was not stupid, and that I worked at a pet store for heavens sake!

He finally let up, doing the dishes himself to make up for pestering, allowing me to catch a couple episodes of the Moomins before he beckoned me into the bathroom. I was confused by this, wondering if he needed help with something, maybe a pipe had broken. But there was nothing visibly amiss when I went inside. It was strange of him to have brought me here; we both showered in the morning, and separately at that.

He was already red in the face, so I could guess where he was going with this. Berwald had a shyness about himself that I could only assume was natural in humans. I, having not worn clothing in the ocean, was a lot more comfortable being bare before others. But I didn't mind Berwald's modesty, it only made it more of a treat when I did get to see the usually hidden skin. He drew a bath, and I began undressing immediately, him following suit, though at a much slower pace. However, he seemed relieved that I'd understood what he wanted without him having to say it. I waited for him to get in first, then followed after, slipping into the water on the other side of the tub, positioning myself so that I could rest my back on the lip of the porcelain and face him. I situated between his legs, the tub not really big enough for the both of us, forcing me to curl my legs against my chest. I didn't mind it though, at first anyway.

When it became a little too uncomfortable, I turned around, scooting back to rest flush against the front of his body. I think the appropriate term for the position is 'spooning.' He was flustered, but didn't push me away, eventually calming down enough to wrap his arms around my waist and hold me. I sighed, stretching out as much as I could in the small basin of water.

"So, any occasion?" I wondered. I felt his chest rumble with a bit of laughter.

"Nej, Ah jus' love ya." He replied simply, pressing his lips to the crown of my head. I giggled.

"That's enough reason for me." I decided, stealing one of his hands from my waist and tangling our fingers together. "Oh, thanks for letting me get a fish." I added, realising I hadn't yet thanked him properly. He shrugged, I felt it.

"Jus' take care of it." He said, bending his neck at a rather awkward angle to reach my cheek and plant a kiss there too.

"I will, promise." I swore, rolling my eyes because he'd brought it up again. Did he really think I was incompetent?

"Sorry, Ah know Ah'm pesterin'. But Ah think it'll be a good indicator of if you'll be a goo' parent." He explained. My mouth fell open in surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Before you guys get mad or something, keep in mind that This past week was... Dun dada daaa: JeanMarco week. And, much like EreMin week, I couldn't not participate. It, like, isn't even arguable. My love for that precious freckled dork will never allow me to not participate. I only ended up getting seven prompts this time around, as opposed to the fourteen of EreMin week. But my fills were a lot longer for this one, by a few pages. If you want to check them out, I have them posted on here. Just go to my profile and click on the story titled "Love Me Dead." And then one of my prompts earned itself oneshot-status, so it's under "Love Distance Long Affair." I might turn it into a chaptered thing some day, after I finish this story and What Lies Beyond the Walls. My next obligation after Violet Eyes is to start posting the NSTAC sequel that is very late in coming. When I finish WLBTW, I think it'll be safe to start posting another SnK fic. So we'll see.
> 
> Anyway, sorry for the tardiness, but here's the next chapter. Something of a cliffhanger, right? I tried anyway! I hope you guys are ready to hold your breath for a while, because I'm sick as a dog, and it's actually pretty hard to type right now. I sleep most of the day when I'm sick, so I'm basically out of commission for a few days. I'll be working when I'm awake though, if that's any consolation.
> 
> Alright, I've much to do, including getting better! Hope you guys liked this chapter, despite its shortness, and see you next time!
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	9. Chapter 9

"W-What?" I stammered, trying to crane my neck to look at his face. Was he joking? I couldn't tell.

"Pe's are kind of one step down from kids." He pointed out.

"Uh, well, joo, but..." I stuttered. He wasn't joking.

"If ya take care of the fish, maybe we'll ge' a dog next." He mused, nuzzling into my hair.

"That's great, but what..."

"Bu' we're namin' it somethin' normal." He informed me sternly. "Same goes for kids." He added. I wiggled my way out of his arms and turned around, facing him as best I could in the tub.

"Berwald!" I snapped, finally getting him to shut his mouth for a moment. He looked at me expectantly. I took a breath, trying to calm myself, for I'd risen to a panic without even realising it. "You, uh... You do realise that I'm male, right?" I asked dubiously. He quirked a brow.

"Of course Ah do." He replied. I sighed, a bit of relief washing over me.  
"Then you know I can't have kids." I continued. He looked at me without much of an expression.

"Ja." He agreed.

"Alright, then where is this coming from?" I wondered vaguely. He allowed himself a small smile.

"Sorry Tino, didn' mean to startle you by bringin' it up all of a sudden. Ah don' mean righ' now. But Ah'd like to have a kid some day." He explained, wrapping his arms around my shoulders and bringing me in for an embrace. I returned it, my hands coming up to rest against his chest.

"Well, that's alright, I suppose. But like I said, I can't have..." I trailed.

"We can adopt." He offered. I blinked, not recalling that word.

"What?" I questioned. He took a moment to think about how he wanted to answer.

"Sometimes, when parents die, or can't take care of their children, or don' want 'em, the governmen' will place them with another family. One tha' wan's them." He explained. I frowned.

"You mean parents just abandon their children?" I demanded. He frowned as well, but nodded.

"Ja. Some people don' wan' to be parents, some aren' fit." He replied. I didn't like the sound of that. I'd never heard of a Mer abandoning their young, Violet Eyes aside. There was a sort of irreversible spell that our children cast on us. They infatuated us, and we doted on them till they came of age. At that point they began releasing hormones, which kind of undid the spell. Not that there wasn't still a bond between parent and child, it was just not as strong. And Mer, once they hit mating age, tend to want to wander and look for a mate. It's rare that one finds a mate nearby.

"That sounds terrible." I decided. He nodded his head in agreement.

"It is, bu' it works ou' in our favor." He pointed out. "We can give one of the kids a home."

I smiled, pressing a kiss to his jaw, for it was the closest thing to my lips. I felt a lot better about his sudden talk of children. I was still young yet, and not really prepared to have children of my own, but he said it was something for the future. And that made me giddy, because that implied that he wanted there to be a future for us, meant that he saw one. I snuggled in closer, straddling his hips so I could wrap myself around him all the more.

We let the subject drop, simply basking in the warm water until my forming fins became a problem, at which point we got out and dried off. I checked on Hanatamago before we went to bed, turning off the light of the tank for the night. I bid she sleep well, then entered the bedroom. Berwald was already laying down, and I smiled, shuffling in that direction with plans of joining him. But as I passed the Moomin alter, I noticed that one of the stuffed toys had fallen, so I had to stop and pick it up.

Berwald scoffed from the bed, and I turned my head to look at him.

"What?" I demanded indignantly, patting the little Moominpappa on the head before meandering over. He shook his head, chuckling to himself.

"Ya kind of ruined the moo'." He said. I quirked a brow, dropping the towel from my waist and tossing it into the hamper. I contemplated putting some pyjamas on, but enough of Berwald's hips were sticking out from under the blanket for me to guess that he hadn't put any on. So I shrugged, lifting the blankets and slipping in next to him. It was a bit strange, we'd never slept together like that, but I didn't mind. And it was nice to feel so much of Berwald's skin against mine.

"Mood?" I prompted, hoping he'd elaborate. He didn't though, opting instead to wrap his arms around me and draw me against him. I went without complaint, but tried to keep my legs away form the rest of him, knowing that the scaly texture of mid-change was a bit off-putting for him. I thought it was anyway. But he ignored it, grabbing my waist and pulling me flush to his side. It was a bit more forceful than he usually was (which is saying very little, all things considered.) I didn't mind, but I was a bit confused by this behavior.

"Berwald?" I said quietly. "Is everything alright?"

"J-Ja, sorry." He apologized. I rolled my eyes, kissing the little bit of his collar that was next to my face. We stayed like that for a while, and I began to wonder why he hadn't turned the lamp off. Were we not going to sleep? Maybe he'd forgotten about it? I reached over, planning on yanking the little cord that would turn the light off, but he grabbed my hand, stopping me before I could. I turned to look at him, the question on my face.

He was blushing, his cheeks dusted with a bright red hue, even in the scant light provided by the bedside lamp. I wondered what had him so flustered, but I didn't ask, because he'd probably be unable to tell me. He brought the hand he'd captured to his lips and began pressing kisses there, one to each knuckle, to the back of it, my wrist. I giggled, allowing him to pull my arm up a little so he could continue his little trail of kisses. He sat up, bringing me with him. When he reached my shoulder, he curved the line, kissing up my collar and neck, all the way to my lips.

I smiled as he pressed our lips together, wrapping my free arm around his neck, the other still being held captive. He let it go though, using the now free hand to support my lower back, pushing until I got the hint and untangled my legs from the blankets, wrapping them around his hips instead so that kissing would be easier. My legs were pretty much back to normal at that point, just a few patches of rough texture still smoothing out. Berwald didn't seem to mind at all, running his fingers over my thighs gently.

We didn't kiss like this very often. Sometimes we'd do it on the couch, but Berwald always put a stop to it after a few minutes, his face warm, and he'd rush off to the bathroom, disappearing for a few minutes. It was confusing, because he obviously liked it, if the tongue in my mouth had anything to say about it. I could never figure out why he always ran away. But he wasn't making any moves to escape this time.

It started getting kind of difficult to breathe, but I didn't want to part from him. My heart was racing, and I could feel his doing the same, but it felt wonderful, and I wasn't prepared to let the excitement die. I tried to move closer, but there was no more space for me to move forward, I was already as close as was possible. I whined, trying again in vain. But a noise ripped from my throat as the action caused a little friction between us.

I finally pulled back, looking at him in surprise. Where had that come from? And my stomach felt like it was swimming in circles, almost like I was going to be sick, but not nearly as unpleasant. I tried to convey my confusion with my eyes, but I ended up verbalizing it anyway.

"Berwald, what... I don't know why I just..." I tried, unable to find the proper words. He didn't respond, his lips finding mine again. I sighed, deciding that I could let it go in favor of kissing Berwald some more. It was quickly becoming one of my favorite pastimes anyway. His hands came back up from my thighs, resting on my hips instead. He just rested them like that for a while, but he eventually started using them to pull me forward, much like I'd tried to do moments prior. Again, a sound pushed its way out, and I frowned, the muscles in my stomach trembling.

"Please, Berwald, I don't understand." I whined, pushing back a little to look down. I was surprised by the sight. Berwald let out a small breath of a sigh.

"Yer aroused, Tino." He said simply, kissing my cheek. I looked back up, then down again.

"I'm what?" I demanded, a bit of panic setting in, because a part of me was doing things I'd never seen it do before.

"Aroused. Turned on." He replied, his hands not leaving my hips. "Horny, hot..." He continued. I scowled, none of those words meaning anything to me.

"I don't-" I began, but he cut me off hastily, like he was eager for something, like he couldn't wait.

"Alrigh', Tino, have ya ever mated before?" He asked. My eyes widened, and I shook my head violently.

"No, I just recently came of age, and I never found a mate, so..." I tried to explain. I didn't want him thinking I was one of those Mer that kept several partners. It was very, very rare. Mer mate for life, for the most part.

"Do Mer only mate during matin' season?" He wondered. I nodded.

"Joo. It's usually in early spring." I said.

"Humans don' have maitin' seasons. We jus'... Well, whenever we wan' to." He explained. I thought about that, and looked down again. I suppose that this feeling was similar to the one I had during mating season, but it was incredibly different too. My stomach felt tight, and I couldn't seem to catch my breath. And everything that Berwald touched, like my thighs and my hips, felt tingly, almost ticklish.

"So, right now... You want to?" I questioned, a little fearful. He kissed me, as if that was answer enough. Maybe it was.

"It's no' the same for us, Tino." He began. "For humans, it's mostly about pleasure."

I furrowed my brow. Pleasure? Mating, as far as I was aware, wasn't particularly pleasant. It wasn't incredibly painful or anything, but it wasn't something worth pursuing beyond the biological reasons. And if two males decided to be mates, then it was forgotten entirely. There were no eggs to fertilize.

"I don't really... Um..." I mumbled.

"Ah know it mus' sound weird to you." He supplied gently, his thumbs tracing my hipbones. "But will ya trus' me?" He asked, his eyes searching mine. I let my lips fall open, returning the gaze. I did trust Berwald, more than anyone, and I'd do anything for him, even turn myself over to the king himself. So, if I was willing to die for him, wasn't I willing to let him show me something new?

"I do." I replied, seeking a kiss of my own. He pulled me against him again, his fingers trailing up and down my back, barely touching it at all, my whole body shuddering from the shivers. I could feel that his body was reacting in the same way, so at least I wasn't abnormal, even by human standards. His hands fell to my hips again, gently moving me to rock them against him. I did, the same noise spilling from my lips again. It was a moan, I suppose, the kind you make when you're in pain, or sometimes when you eat something that is just so, so tasty. I was unable to hold it back.

He didn't care, or maybe he even liked it, because his grip tightened, urging me to do it again. I complied, not bothering with stifling the sounds anymore, finding a slow pace at which I was comfortable rolling my hips against his. He remained still, but I could tell that it was difficult, I could feel the muscles in his legs twitching with the effort. I gasped when he gave in, rocking up against me, my whole body bouncing up a bit with the force. The groan that vibrated in his chest sent another shock of fluttering to my stomach, my throat suddenly feeling very tight as I tried to swallow.

He pushed me away gently, only far enough that I rested on his thighs instead of his hips. I looked down at him as well as myself. He was apparently aroused too, just like me. I'd learned that there were quite a few words that one could use to refer to that part of the body, but I wasn't sure which would be appropriate. I usually turned those kinds of programs off very quickly, ever since Berwald had caught me watching one and had expressed unreal levels of embarrassment. But from the few I'd seen, I knew, vaguely, that humans used them for mating, and I assumed that it went similarly to Mer mating. We were much like dolphins in the way that we mated, though they gave live birth while we had eggs. Female Mer carried them inside of their bodies until they got too big, then they would settle down and care for them in a stationary manner. We'd never come across any other animals that reproduced quite like we did. Human birth, I'd come to realise, was rather terrifying. I'd seen it on the television a few times. Human females didn't release the egg when it got too big, growing the entire baby inside of their bodies, and pushing them out of places that were much too small to accommodate for the size of the new life. I was glad that Mer didn't have such painful reproduction practices.

My mind snapped back to Berwald, all thoughts of childbirth forgotten as he wrapped his hand around my arousal. My head fell back, another moan echoing off the walls.

"B-Berwald!" I gasped, rocking up into his hand. He used the other to steady me, holding my hips down so I couldn't move as freely. He moved his hand jerkily, up and down, squeezing, making my head reel. I'd never felt like this. Surely mating wasn't this amazing for Mer, because if it was, we'd do it a lot more often, I'm sure. I was practically sobbing, unsure of what to do with the coiling feeling of my stomach, the trembling of my muscles. Berwald sought out my hand, bringing it to his own arousal, begging me silently to return the gesture.

I didn't really have any idea what I was doing, simply mimicking his actions, but that was apparently enough, because his breathing picked up just as mine had. His noises were much quieter than mine, small grunts and an occasional groan as opposed to my cries and keening whines. Maybe that had a little something to do with him having more experience in this genre. It was completely new to me, in every way, so I took comfort in the fact that Berwald knew what he was doing.

My stomach started to feel tight, and I wasn't sure what was happening. It was akin to having to use the bathroom, yet I could tell it was a little different. Was that how I was supposed to be feeling? I was kind of scared, but I didn't want to bring it up, because what if that wasn't how it was supposed to feel? What if there was something horribly wrong with me? What if...

Berwald cut off my train of thought, kissing me roughly, his hand never slowing. I tried to focus on doing the same, but ended up pausing to kiss back. I never realised how bad I was at multitasking. He made a guttural sound, sort of like a growl. It should have frightened me, but it only served to excite me further, a shudder wracking my body. I refocused my attention to my hand, letting him do as he pleased with my mouth. But the longer we stayed like this, the more pressure was building up inside of me. It was driving me insane, and the pleasure Berwald was supplying only made the feeling worse. Was that right? Was that normal? I couldn't risk it, I decided.

"Berwald," I tried to say, but ended up kind of crying it. He made a noise to affirm that he was listening. "I-I feel funny." I admitted, laying my head against his shoulder.

"Funny 'ow?" He asked, still not stopping. I whined, a tear that I hadn't known about falling past my lid, solidifying and falling against his chest, landing on the bed shiny and white. How could I even describe it?

"I feel-Ah! I feel tight." I decided, my free hand releasing the bedsheets and seeking out purchase on his skin instead. "And something... I think something is going to-Oh! To come out!" I finally managed, more tears starting to trickle down my cheeks. It wasn't painful, I was just so overwhelmed, so hypersensitive, aware of everything all at once, and yet so mindlessly absorbed in the sensation. He tilted his head, capturing my lips again, kissing me sweetly, as if to reassure me.

"Tha's normal Tino. Jus' le' it happen." He rasped. My body shook, the effort to hold back whatever it was that was happening starting to be too much for me to bear. I think Berwald was in a similar state though, because he was having trouble keeping me steady, and the hand on my hip was holding on just a little too tight. It would probably bruise, proof enough that Berwald wasn't quite in control of himself.

The feeling welled up, fresh moans rising from my stomach, my whole body vibrating with them. I trembled, tears falling steadily at that point, the pearls forgotten in the twisted sheets beneath us. I tried to force it down, but reminded myself that Berwald told me to let it happen. So I did. My back arched, the position stiff, it probably would have been painful if I was paying attention. But I wasn't, too mind blown to register much besides the feeling of the pressure reaching its peak, and then the relief of falling over it. I couldn't even make a sound, my mouth open in a silent scream, my eyes shut so tightly it was almost uncomfortable. Whatever had been coiling inside of me had come out, and I felt so drained, I was unable to even hold myself up anymore.

But Berwald was the same, his body going rigid only seconds after mine. I could feel whatever it was spilling over my hand, and I was relieved that I hadn't done anything wrong. I collapsed against him, panting heavily, relying entirely on him to keep me upright. Thankfully, he had the headboard behind him to aid in this endeavor, and he managed to lower me into the bed gently, sliding down to rest next to me, his breathing just as ragged.

We simply laid there, breathing, staring at each other, stupid, for minutes. I couldn't think, not even if I tried. All I knew was that I felt amazing, and tired, and I loved Berwald so, so much. My thoughts seemed to return with my breath, and I looked down at my hand, covered in milky liquid. I guess it should have seemed gross, especially when I put together that this was semen, but I didn't really mind it, because it was Berwald's. Still, I didn't think I'd get much sleep with it all over. Berwald came to the rescue, stumbling out of bed and retrieving the towel I'd tossed into the hamper earlier. He wiped his own hand clean, as well as his chest. I blushed, wondering if it was strange that it had gotten that far. My chest was clean, after all. But I couldn't really force myself to care much, allowing Berwald to take my hand and clean it off with the towel.

I smiled to the best of my ability, opening my arms when he tossed the towel back to the hamper, accepting him into the bed with an embrace. He wrapped his own arms around my waist, pulling me close and pressing his nose into my hair. I didn't mind when he inhaled, but I did wonder if I really smelled that good. Whatever I smelled like, he seemed to like it, for he held the position for a while, his hot breath ghosting between my locks when he exhaled.

Eventually he pulled back, scooting both of us further down on the bed and pulling the blankets over us. I heard a few pearls clatter against the hardwood of the floor, but I could clean those up the next day. I was too exhausted and satisfied to care enough to get up. Berwald didn't seem to mind either, rubbing my back slowly until he fell asleep, his breathing finally lulling me into following behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might have been gone for a long time, but look at what I did to make up for it! I'm going to leave the rating at mature for now, but if you guys think I should raise it up to explicit, then I will. I just don't think it was really dirty enough to warrant that, but I think that's more for you guys to decide than me. Let me know if you want it bumped up.  
> So, to be completely honest, the reason this ended up taking so long is because I've recently learned that I LOVE roleplaying. I'd never bothered with it before, but Tora-Star convinced me to give it a go, and now I'm a junky. Like, I am texting her and Terra about when I'll be home so I know how soon we can get started. It's a little bit worrisome. But I do get a bit of work in between.  
> But it's crunch time now! I have to make two costumes by January! I've been putting it off like a loser, and now I'm starting to realise that I've only got a MONTH. So I'll be using my days off to work my butt off. Please be patient with my slow updates. It could definitely be worse, trust me guys!  
> Alright, off I go, much to be done! Thanks for reading, and feedback is always appreciated!
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	10. Chapter 10

When I woke, Berwald was still asleep, breathing heavily enough that I could almost call it snoring. I couldn't stifle the little giggle that rose up in my chest, doing all I could not to shake with it, and failing. Berwald stirred, mumbling incoherently, pulling me closer before he returned to sleep. I laughed openly then, getting cozy again. Berwald seemed to like early morning cuddling more than anything else, so I tried to indulge him when I had the time. I knew I didn't have work until after noon, so he could snuggle until the urge to use the bathroom became too much.

That proved to not be very long at all, and my bathroom fidgeting eventually brought him to full consciousness. He shoved me to the edge of the bed, letting me get my footing so I wouldn't fall to the floor. This earned him another chuckle from me, and then I was off, starting my day as I usually did. But when he finally stumbled out of bed and found me naked in the kitchen, he quickly reminded me that clothes were not an optional part of the day. I stuck my tongue out like a child, but did as I was told, slipping into the shower and then getting dressed.

When I came back, he had breakfast prepared, and was sucking down some of the bitter drink of energy. How he could stomach the stuff, I had no idea. My plate was already ready, and I sat down at the island next to him, devouring the eggs as if I hadn't eaten in ages. He quirked a brow, and I recalled the many times I'd been scolded for my eating habits. With a sigh, I slowed down. Still, breakfast was a short affair, leaving me with plenty of time before I'd have to go and get ready for work. So, after feeding Hanatamago and having a short conversation with her, I went out to check on my garden. A couple of weeds later, and I was ready to go back in. But Berwald surprised me, joining me outside instead.

"Yer garden looks goo'." He commented, wrapping an arm around my waist. I leaned into his side, smiling fondly.

"Thank you. You'll have to tell me what your favorite flower is, and I'll grow it next year." I decided. His lips twitched in a small smile, nodding.

"Ah'll have to figure out wha' my favorite flower is." He said, and I laughed, letting him pull the gloves from my fingers and put them away. He reached for my hand, pulling me along until we reached the back yard. He had a small bench there, which he led me to, sitting down next to me. His house was built very near a forest, and the bench faced the trees. It was nice to sit and watch, especially when the occasional deer would run by. I had a strange fascination with the pretty creatures. I thought them very beautiful, both the males and the females. And fawns were absolutely adorable.

There wasn't much activity though, mostly just birds flying between branches. That was alright, Berwald was entertainment enough. He leaned over every couple minutes, kissing my cheek or my temple, making me giggle and turn my face for a proper kiss.

"I love ya." He murmured, pushing some of my hair aside, letting it slip through his fingers and back into place. I sighed happily, loving the feeling.

"Hmm, I love you too." I replied, scooting to be closer to him. I had been a little wary of how the actions of the night before would change our relationship, but Berwald seemed just as sweet as ever. After we'd been outside for about half an hour, we went back in, and Berwald started making something for my lunch. He was off of work that day, so it was supposed to be something of a treat. I, however, had to fill in for a coworker who had something come up last minute. So, though I usually shared Berwald's days off, I couldn't this time.

I watched a few episodes of the Moomins before I shuffled back into our room, deciding to get ready early, for lack of anything else to do. When I returned to the living room, Berwald was there, and he watched an episode with me. When it was over, he went and fetched my lunch, already packed up, and sent me off with a kiss. I promised to hurry, then began the walk to the pet store.

Eduard greeted me, and we talked for a few minutes before I got to work, starting with my ritualistic petting of the bunnies. One of the floppy-eared rabbits, who'd been with us a bit longer than the others, came up to my hand immediately, and I chuckled. He was my favorite. A few of the others trailed behind him, getting in line for their affection of the day. With only two hands between about five rabbits, I was kept busy for a good ten minutes. My favorite floppy came back for a second round, which I couldn't help but oblige. Once they'd all been properly affectionated, I began the process of cleaning out their enclosure, scooping out the old bedding and dumping in the new. Floppy made sure to claim his patch of the new shavings, chasing off a few that dared enter his territory. I chuckled, knowing he'd break his own rules later for some cuddling. All of the bunnies gathered for a cuddle puddle around five.

After the rabbits came the small rodents. I did those in shifts, a couple every day. Today was the mice. I had learned at some point that the mice, for the most part, were sold as food for snakes. I felt bad, but I understood. Everything had to eat. Still, I tried to make their lives as comfortable as possible, sneaking them a few treats here and there. As it would turn out, I wasn't the only one. I got nibbled on occasion when cleaning the mice aquariums, but it wasn't anything too bad. They really weren't unfriendly, just curious.

When I finished the day's cleaning work, I joined Eduard behind the counter. There were only ever two people working at a time, for there wasn't a lot to do, in all honesty. That was fine though, because I liked the chance to talk to my coworkers, especially when they were Eduard. (And that turned out to be more often than not.) I sat down on one of the stools, my shoulder against his, shoving gently to get his attention. He paused whatever game he'd been playing on his big light-up brick, quirking a brow at me.

"You act more like the rabbits every day." He pointed out, and I laughed.

"I do like them. You think the boss would be mad if I took Floppy out for a bit? I think I'd like to play with him." I admitted. He shrugged, shooing me off in that direction. I grinned, returning to the bunnies and picking the little white one up, carrying him behind the counter, then setting him down. He hesitated for a second, then started hopping around. I followed behind for a while, just making sure he wouldn't get into anything. Then, to my surprise, he began chasing me. He was much better at chase than Berwald, and I squealed with delight as he tailed me, walking around the store with him hot on my heels. I could hear Eduard chuckling from behind the counter. Maybe I was a little childish, but Mer love to play, no matter how old they are. Like I've mentioned, we are very social creatures, so we love any form of socializing, be it speaking, grooming, or playing.

Floppy seemed to get bored of chasing me though, as he turned away, clambering onto one of the low shelves and getting into the toys. I was about to scoop him up and give him a scolding, but he hopped back down, pushing a little cat ball with his noise, the bell inside jingling. It was plastic, so he'd have a hard time chewing through it without me noticing, so I decided to let him play with it. He shoved it in my direction until the ball rolled into my feet, and I stooped down to pick it up, rolling it across the floor.

Much like a dog, Floppy took off after it, returning a few seconds later, nosing the ball back towards me. Eduard got a laugh out of it as well, and I eventually convinced him to join us in the game of fetch, which was quickly converted into 'keep the ball away from Eduard.' By the time a customer came in, Floppy was passed out in my lap, the cat ball lost somewhere in the store, and Eduard very flushed in the face as he returned to the register.

I returned Floppy to the enclosure, his foot batting my hand in annoyance when I moved him. The customer was in need of a new aquarium, which Eduard helped her pick out. I was sent to retrieve it from the back, and I helped load it into the car, then I returned to sitting behind the counter with Eduard. Glancing at the time, I decided it would be a decent time for lunch, and I pulled it out. Eduard seemed to think it was a good idea too, fetching his own and joining me.

"So, how goes the boyfriend?" He asked, his mouth full of pasta. I smiled as I thought about Berwald, swallowing my bite before replying.

"He goes well." I said simply, my smile not falling.

"Oh yeah? That grin on your face tells me something happened." He grinned, and I blushed.

"I suppose so. We mated last night." I replied. He dropped his fork, a few noodles meeting the floor. My eyes widened, and I was concerned for a moment that he'd injured himself, but no, he was just surprised. Had I said something odd?

"U-Uh, what?" He questioned. I blinked owlishly, handing him a napkin.

"I said we mated last night." I repeated, earning a red flush from my coworker.

"Yeah, that's what I thought you said. TMI, Tino!" He yelped, leaning over to clean up the mess he'd made.

"T-M-I?" I prompted, guessing this was one of those weird words that actually meant several words at once. He had a lot of those, like 'laugh-out-loud' and 'jesus-fucking-christ.' It was a strange way of speaking, but I didn't mind; It was a part of Eduard.

"Too much information." He supplied, and I thought about that, frowning.

"What is?" I wondered.

"I so don't need to hear about your sex life. God, he comes in here, you know? Now every time I see him, I'm going to picture him naked, and that is not something I need to be picturing. Oh god, I'm picturing it now!" He gushed, scrubbing his hands against his eyes, as if to rid them of the image.

"Berwald is very nice to look at." I sniffed, crossing my arms over my chest. "Especially naked." I added. He made an X with his index fingers in front of his face.

"Maybe for you. I, on the other hand, would now like to give my brain a thorough scrubbing with bleach." He said, and my eyes widened.

"You can scrub your brain? How? Does it hurt?" I demanded, and he looked at me like I was stupid.

"Uh, no Tino, you can't scrub your brain. But it wouldn't hurt, your brain doesn't have pain receptors. Do you live under a rock?" He wondered, and I thought on it.

"Not currently, but I used to, kind of." I replied, thinking of the cave. That was like living under a rock, right? The idea was the same anyway. Eduard just shook his head, a small smile on his lips.

"Okay Tino, whatever you say." He mumbled, rolling his eyes.

"Anyway, I'd never mated before, so it was kind of strange. Berwald says that it's normal to do it a lot, but I'd never..." I began, Eduard going several shades of red before shoving a hand over my mouth.

"Tino! Seriously, TMI!" He groaned. I licked his hand, laughing as he withdrew. "Yuck, Tino, that's disgusting!" He whined, getting up to wash his hand in the sink. I only snickered, taking a drink to wash out the taste of Eduard's hand.

"As I was saying..."  
"Not another word!" He snapped, sitting back down, glaring at me. I grinned, but did as he said, keeping the details of my experience to myself.

"Matthew would want to know." I quipped, sticking my tongue out.

"Well, good for Matthew. I'd like to stay innocent, thank you." He snarked, finishing up his lunch.

"If you say so. What about you?" I asked. He froze, his plastic food container only halfway in the bag.

"W-What about me?" He stammered. I giggled, tapping his nose.

"Do you have a mate? I've never seen you with anyone, but that doesn't mean you don't have one." I mused. He froze again, and stuttered for about ten minutes straight, so I let it go, assuring him he didn't have to tell me. He returned to his game after that, and I went around and checked on the animals again. Floppy demanded some more attention, so I spent another ten minutes petting all of the rabbits before I began the janitorial work. That involved cleaning the bathroom, sinks, taking out the trash, things of that nature. I was good at it, seeing as I had taken to cleaning Berwald's house. Most of the other employees griped about it, but I didn't mind. It had to be done.

When I finished with that, Eduard gave me the okay to go home.

"Are you sure? I can stay until closing time." I offered, but he shook his head.

"Nah, it's fine. All I have to do is the deposit, and then I can leave. Won't take me more than ten minutes. There's no point in keeping us both here if it's going to be dead anyway. Go home, give your 'mate' a kiss for me." He said, shooing me. I made a funny face.

"Just earlier you were saying you did not want to think of Berwald naked, yet now you want to kiss him?" I inquired. He sighed, physically getting up and pushing me out of the door.

"It's a figure of speech Tino. Please don't go home and tell your boyfriend that I want to kiss him. Goodbye." He shut the door, shooing me again from behind the glass. I stuck my tongue out, then turned away, beginning the walk home. Eduard was such a funny human. Maybe it was because I was used to Berwald that he seemed odd to me, but I found I rather liked his personality. He was strange, but so was I, so we went together well.

I was early, for sure. Eduard had let me go nearly an hour and a half earlier than I was scheduled to be off. That in mind, I decided to take a detour, heading for a park to take a small walk before I went home. If I was right, Berwald was probably taking a nap at the moment anyway. He always napped on his days off. It wasn't my favorite park, but it had a nice path, one that gave me a distant view of the ocean. It still worried me, but it was nice to at least see it on occasion. It was pretty painful though, passing by, knowing I could never return. It had always been my home, and having to walk right past without so much as dipping my feet into the water filled me with melancholy.

But I had a new home now, one with Berwald, and I loved him very much. What he lacked in salt and water, he made up for with love and affection I'd never had under the water. Still, I couldn't help but stare longingly as I passed, my body almost able to feel the lapping of the waves. I could taste the salt on the air, and I filled my lungs with it, sighing with longing. I wasn't really paying attention to where I was walking anymore, simply staring at the shoreline, my eyes tracing the lines the waves made on the sand.

I got a start when my eyes fell on something I hadn't been expecting to see. The beach didn't allow swimmers, and it was pretty hard to get down there, as there were cliffs on either side. The only way down was to do some rock climbing. A few people made the trip, but not very often. So it was odd to see a figure half submerged in water. I squinted, wondering if the person was okei. They weren't moving from the spot, which worried me. But there was no one around to ask for help. I bit my lip, then made the decision to go and check it out.

So began the difficult trek down the rocky side of the cliff. It angled at a slant, so it wasn't very dangerous, just a hassle. When I did finally plant my feet in sand, I turned to make sure the person was still there. Thankfully, they were, and I tried to hurry. Running in sand is actually pretty hard, especially for someone who'd never done it. I realised, somewhere in the back of my mind, that this was the closest I'd been to the ocean since Berwald had rescued me. It was a terrifying thought, but I couldn't leave the person there, especially now that it was apparent that something was wrong.

As I neared, I could guess that they were female. It was rare for a male to grow their hair out that long, not that it was impossible. But the closer I drew, the more her femininity stood out. I was about to call out to her, but I froze, about ten feet away. She looked normal enough, but I could smell her. She was a Mer. I tried to back off, quickly, not wanting to be seen. But when she lifted her head, obviously having heard my approach, I couldn't continue my retreat. She looked at me with such misery, such desperation, I couldn't help but draw near.

When I was near enough that I could reach out and touch her, I noticed the smell of blood as well, and finally paid attention to her body, which was heavily wounded. I winced, wondering how she'd come to be in this state, but I was too scared to talk to her. I was a Violet Eyes, I was considered less than Mer. To her, I was nothing, I was disgusting. But her eyes showed no hatred for me. She opened her mouth, having to clear her throat a few times before being able to speak.

"You... Are Mer." She said. I nodded quickly. She could probably smell me just as I could her. She reached a hand up, and I took it, ignoring the lurch in my stomach when I felt the broken bones. "You live... On land. As a human?" She asked.

"Yes." I confirmed. She took a shuddering breath.

"You are safe... Even with the cursed eyes?" She inquired.

"I'm very safe. I have a mate that protects me." I explained. She looked away, resting her neck. She didn't speak again, so I prompted her. "What happened to you?" I wondered. She took a deep breath, then began her tale.

"You likely know little of royal matters, considering the color of your eyes. I do not know how you survived this long, but it is obvious you were in hiding. Currently, the crown prince is in need of an heir. He's to have his coronation ceremony soon, and it is a requirement that he had an heir lined up before hand. But it seems his mate is infertile. That is frustrating to him, so he's been turning to other mates." She paused here, taking another shaky breath. "I'm sure you think me a whore. Mer mate for life, after all, and it's forbidden to come between that bond. But I love him, boy, truly I do. And the plan was for him to make it look like the egg was his mate's. However, we were caught before that could happen. I'm sure you can put the rest together yourself. I was chased by the palace guards. They even had hunters after me! What a terrifying life you live, boy." She spat, chuckling darkly. I frowned. I'd had the misfortune of being pursued by hunters twice in my life, and it was not something I would wish on anyone. They were persistent and cruel. I'd nearly lost a fin in my first encounter. If I'd not been so young, it probably wouldn't have healed at all.

"As you can see, they got me a few times. I'd likely be dead if I hadn't beached myself. They won't come this close to humans, calm yourself." She said when I tensed, suddenly scanning the water fearfully. "They've left anyway. I'm dying, boy. I've very little time left. I'm very fortunate that you came to me, even if you are a despicable cursed one. Better you than a human, or no one at all." She sighed, shuffling. I couldn't tell what she was doing but when she brought her hands forward, she held an egg.

"Listen to me, and listen well. I'm entrusting this life, more precious than mine, the prince's... Even yours. I'm entrusting it to you. Promise me, boy. Promise me you'll care for my child as your own. I'm lost to this world, and this is my last wish. Grant it?" She plead. I looked at the egg, reaching out a hand hesitantly. I wasn't prepared for a child, and I knew it. I had just told Berwald that I wasn't ready for it. I was too young, and I had never really spent much time around baby Mer. I didn't know how to care for them. I hadn't consulted with Berwald, hadn't asked him what he wanted to do. And yet, how could I refuse her? This was all she had left in the world, and I was her only chance. Without me, the life inside the egg would die away before it even had a chance at living. Sighing, I took it from her, holding it gently as I drew it closer to my frame. It was warm, heavy, and I knew, as soon as I touched it, that I adored the creature inside.

I suppose that would be the spell I mentioned.

I turned back to the mother, but yelped when I realised she was gone, her body already naught but foam and a few pearls, held gently by the sand. I swallowed thickly. I couldn't remorse for her, for I'd not known her. All I could do was uphold the promise I'd silently agreed to, and care for her child. I looked back to the egg, running my fingers over the smooth surface. But I remembered, with a start, that Mer eggs needed to be kept relatively warm, and I quickly brought it to my chest, holding it there while I climbed back up one-handed. It was difficult, but I couldn't risk putting it in my pocket.

I practically ran home when I managed to get over the rocks. I realised, as I ran, that I had a lot of explaining to do. I was going to be a parent, and Berwald had been dragged into it. Well, on the bright side, he'd mentioned wanting children. It was just, maybe, a little sooner than he'd intended.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. I've had a hard time writing lately, so this is my last prewritten chapter. That means that the next one won't come out till I write it, which could take quite a while. We'll see how it goes. But I have to finish working on some cosplays for next weekend! This convention snuck up on me! It's my first time hand making a costume, so I didn't manage my time very well. But I refuse to rush, because I don't want it to be sloppy. Well, wish me luck.
> 
> I haven't much else to say... I hope you all had lovely Christmases and Hanukkahs and Kwanzas and New Years, and all of those other holidays! I hope this year is as fantastic as last! Feedback is always appreciated, and see you guys next time!
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	11. Chapter 11

Needless to say, Berwald was more than a little concerned when I stumbled into the house, red-faced and panting, unable to get anything coherent out. He didn't notice the egg until after he'd sat me down and gotten me a glass of water. I was downing it when he finally caught sight of what I had cradled to my chest.

"Tino?" He said softly, getting my attention. I looked up, setting the glass down. "What's tha'?" He wondered, nodding towards my hand. I frowned, drawing it closer and curling my hand more, as if to protect it. Such a silly gesture; I knew better than to think that Berwald would have any part in harming this creature, yet I still found myself protective of it.

I wasn't sure how to word my response. This was more than he'd bargained for when he took me into his home. What if he didn't want a child yet? And what if he didn't want a Mer child at all? What could I do? I loved him, with all of my heart. Yet, I loved this egg as well, enough that, if I had to, I'd leave to keep it. That realization startled and hurt me, my heart throbbing at the thought. I didn't want to have to make that choice. But I couldn't just ignore the question. I decided to be straightforward.

"It's an egg." I offered, at last. It had taken me quite a while to answer. Berwald quirked a brow, eyes dropping to the egg in question.

"Okej, Ah can see tha'." He said, voice already cautious, clearly having sensed my tenseness. "Why do ya have an egg?" He prompted carefully. I bit my lip, looking anywhere but at him.

"I... I have to take care of it." I explained. He paused, sitting down on the coffee table in front of the couch so he could be on eye level with me, much to my dismay.

"Why do ya have to take care of it?" He inquired, a hand coming to rest on my knee. "Is it fer work?" He suggested, but I shook my head. I wasn't going to lie to him. He thought for a moment, then tried again. "Did ya buy a new pet?" Was his next attempt. Still, I shook my head. He fell silent, obviously at a loss. I remained stiff, unable to decide on how I should tell him. But it had to be done, and the sooner, the better.

"Tino, please, talk to me." He plead, his thumbs rubbing gently at my legs where his hands rested. I frowned, my posture relaxing as I was filled with shame. Berwald loved me, and I owed him the benefit of the doubt. I was scared, sure, but he deserved to know, and deserved to be trusted.

"I... I got off early, because we weren't very busy. I know that you always take a nap on your days off, and so I decided to take a walk in a park on the way home. I went to that one that has a view of the ocean, because I like to see it sometimes, and... Well, I saw someone down on the beach, but they weren't moving, so I thought they might need help, and I went down to see. But she was... She was a Mer. I was going to run, but she was hurt, really bad. She was dying. And she told me about how she and the prince had been mating, even though they weren't mates, and how they got caught. They sent hunters after her, and she just barely managed to beach herself. But she... She had an egg, this egg, and she asked me to take care of it Berwald, and I... I couldn't say no, and... And I love it, I love it so much."

I didn't realise, but I'd begun crying, and Berwald shifted from the coffee table over to the couch, wrapping his arms around me. He shushed me for a while, just holding me like that and stroking my hair till I calmed down, occasionally brushing the pearls gathering in my lap onto the floor. They clattered and rolled around as they hit the floor, all but forgotten in that moment. Even after I'd managed to get my breathing back to normal, we just sat like that for several minutes. Then he finally pulled back a little, wanting to look at me.

"So," he began. "There's a... A baby in there?" He guessed, looking at it doubtfully. I nodded, bringing the egg out a bit so he could see. He was quiet for a moment. "A... A Mer baby." He added, for clarification. I nodded again, my expression worried. This was it; He was either going to accept it, or I was going to leave.

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair and thinking for a moment. He took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Well... What're we goin' to need to raise it?" He asked, finally. My whole body went limp with relief, and I snuggled into his side. He wasn't going to make me choose, thank the stars. I was too relieved to actually answer him, more tears coming to my eyes and finding their way onto our laps and the couch. Once again, he waited, holding me and rubbing my back this time, not demanding a response.

I quieted much quicker this time, taking a few shaky breaths before speaking.

"It needs to be kept warm." I started, bringing it forth from where I'd been cradling it against my chest so he could see better. "And preferably in water. I've never heard of one raised on land, and I don't want to risk trying it. It needs to be kept at about body temperature, especially right now, since it's still premature to be apart from its mother, as far as I can tell. I haven't seen many eggs in my life, but they're usually not as small as this when they're laid." I pointed out. He nodded, getting up and heading to the kitchen. I heard him shuffling around in the cabinets, and the clang of metal, then the tap running. I got up and entered as well, watching him turn the stove on and put the large pot of water on the burner. He then pulled out his light-up brick, and was going through things for a while before he turned it off and put it back in his pocket.

"Ah'm goin' to guess that yer body temperature is about the same as a human's, even if ya are ectothermic." He explained. I didn't know what he was talking about, but nodded. I'd trust him. "Anythin' else?"

I thought about it, thought about all the things I remembered seeing the few mother's I'd met do. But I couldn't think of much else, so I shook my head. Then I recalled that Mer were ocean creatures, so we'd need some salt in the water, probably.

"We should make the water salty." I announced. He nodded, and began to reach for the salt shaker, but stopped.

"Hmm... Maybe we shoul' go get some of the sal' they sell at the shop." He suggested. "It's made to imitate the ocean." He pointed out.

"Oh, okei! Um..." I looked down at the egg in my hands, then up at him, and finally at the pot of water. I was facing another dilemma; I wanted to keep the egg with me, but it needed to go into the water as soon as possible. But I couldn't put it in till we were sure it wouldn't be too hot, so I'd have to wait a few minutes for it to reach its maximum temperature, and even longer if we had to turn it down. Yet, we needed the salt almost as much as the water. I could have sent Berwald for the salt, but I wasn't sure what temperature the water should be at, or how to even check that. It would be impractical. So I was stuck. I needed to leave, but needed to stay.

I looked back to the egg again, frowning as a wave of adoration came over me. I didn't want to leave it, but I couldn't afford not to, I decided. I looked up at Berwald, meeting his eyes. They should have been hurt, should look betrayed; Here I was, not able to put my faith in him, putting a life in danger because I wasn't trusting him. But he didn't. He was just waiting, patiently, for me to make my decision.

I decided it was time to start trusting him. He loved me, and I loved him, and I loved the egg, so he'd learn to love it too. He'd never let harm come to it, and I knew that. My hands shook, but I held it out to him, placing it gently in the palm he held out to me, not letting go until I was entirely certain he wouldn't drop it. He drew it close to his own chest, like I'd done, and looked down at it.

I didn't know if the spell worked on humans, but I think it worked on Berwald, because he looked at the blueish egg with a new-found sense of adoration, one that I could see on his face. It helped, let me breath a sigh of relief to know that he was just as spellbound by this unborn creature as I was. I got up on my tiptoes to kiss him shortly, pressing my face into his shoulder for a moment as I embraced him, then I pulled away, quickly going to the door.

"I'll be back soon!" I called, taking my leave and breaking into a jog as I headed for the shop. It wasn't very far, but I was still trying to hurry. And I could think of nothing but the egg waiting for me at home, and the look on Berwald's face when he fell in love with it too. I should have been jealous, for that emotion was supposed to be mine alone. But I loved the egg too, it was something we shared, so it didn't bother me. In fact, it filled me with warmth.

I stumbled into the shop just as Eduard was getting up to lock the doors. He seemed more than a little shocked to see me, and concern laced his features as he let me in and watched me pant, doubled over.

"Tino, are you alright?" He asked, patting my back gently. I waved him off, gasping a bit before trying to speak.

"I-I need salt." I explained, still out of breath. His brows furrowed, my words obviously not registering with him.  
"Um... I think you might want to go to the grocery store, then..." He suggested, his tone shifting. He thought I was crazy. I guess I was.

"No, no, I mean the kind for the fish!" I explained quickly, walking towards the back, where I knew we kept it. He followed me, watching as I looked through a few of the varieties we had. It was fruitless, since I couldn't read well enough to know much difference. Which should I take? Was one better than the others? I looked to Eduard, hoping for help. He looked at me a long time, but eventually pulled one of the bags off the shelf, handing it to me.

"That's the best kind, if it's for saltwater fish. It's got a lot of nutrients and stuff in it that the others don't, so it's the best for imitating the ocean. I didn't know you had saltwater fish though... I thought you got a guppy." He pointed out. I bit my lip, thinking of ways to talk my way out of this.

"Um, joo, Berwald's coworker didn't want them anymore, and we offered to take care of them. But, uh, we needed salt. Thanks." I offered. Then I groaned, making Eduard jump. "I forgot to bring money!" I exclaimed, my throat tightening. Without money, I couldn't buy the salt, and I'd have to go back to the house and get it, and by the time I'd done that, the shop would be closed. I didn't know if the egg would make it through the night. It might, but there was no guarantee. I could already feel frustrated tears welling up in my eyes, and I had to fight desperately to keep them down, lest Eduard see me crying pearls. That'd probably raise a few questions.

He rolled his eyes, waving me off, much to my surprise.

"Just take it, you obviously need it. I'll pay for it for now, just pay me back when you can, okay?" He said, and I could have kissed him. I almost did. But I settled for a hug instead, crushing him to me for a moment before bolting out of the shop towards home, calling a 'thank you' over my shoulder as I left, Eduard's face bewildered as it disappeared from my view.

I was home before I even had time to think of anything, and I burst through the door loudly, heading for the kitchen where I found Berwald, just standing by the pot. I looked inside to see the egg, settled against the bottom. There was also a thermometer, clipped to the side so he could make sure the temperature didn't rise or fall too drastically. I handed him the bag of salt, and he began reading the instructions as I looked down at the blue shell, unable to tear my eyes away. It looked fine, and I somehow knew that the life inside was still there, so all was well.

Eventually, Berwald got through the instructions, and got out the measuring cups, dumping some of the salt into the water. It dissolved quickly, and I dipped my fingers in, then brought them to my lips. Eduard had been right; it was very close to real seawater, though I could still taste the difference. It'd have to do. Berwald's hand came to rest on the small of my back, and I turned to look at him, smiling softly.

"We'll ge' an aquarium heater tomorrow." He decided. I nodded, because that was a good idea. It'd keep the water at a steady temperature, without the hazard of leaving the burner on for a long time. But, for now, this would do. "How long before it hatches?" He asked, kissing my forehead. I closed my eyes, half to enjoy the affection, and half to think.

"Um... A few weeks, maybe two months, at the longest." I replied, my arms coming to settle on his shoulders.

"Hmm... How big will it be?" Was his next question. I thought about it, then held my hands up, leaving space just barely bigger than the egg itself between them. "Tha's really small..." He pointed out. I smiled, chuckling.  
"Yes, we start out tiny, but we grow fast. We're about the size of a human baby within a month." I promised. That seemed to make him feel better, and he drew me in for a tighter embrace. We just stood there for a while, then he pulled away, taking my hand and leading me into the living room.

"We'll check in on it." He explained. That was a good idea; standing in the kitchen for the rest of the night sounded pretty terrible, even if it was to be with the egg.

We sat on the couch together, and I thought about reaching for the remote, but decided against it, opting instead to devote my attention to Berwald. Once he'd gotten settled, I crawled in between his legs, laying flush against him and resting my head on his shoulder. His arms came up to encircle me softly, hands on my lower back. We just stayed together like that for a while, our breathing matching up eventually.

"I'm sorry." I finally said. He took a breath, a bit sharper than the others, then one hand came up to thread in my hair.

"Fer wha'?" He wondered. I sighed.

"For this." I replied simply. "I didn't ask you about it, and I know you weren't exactly ready for it. I didn't know what else to do though." I gushed, melting into his hands as he began tracing patterns against my back.

"There's no nee' to apologize. Ya did wha' anyone woul' do. An' Ah wanted kids anyway. Just a bi' sooner than planned." He offered, shrugging. "An'... Well, differen' species than planned, bu' Ah don' mind." He added. I smiled, nuzzling into the side of his neck, pressing small kisses there. "There's a lo' for us to figure ou' though. Gonna have to figure ou' schooling. Nee' a birth certificate and stuff. I's gonna be hard." He admitted. "Someone's probably gonna have to know about ya, and the baby. Ah'll have to talk to some people. Ah have a friend who runs a private school, maybe he can help us out" He mused, mostly to himself now.

I frowned, not really knowing what he was talking about. But I trusted Berwald to be able to figure it out. And that was something we wouldn't have to deal with till the egg hatched, so I put it from my mind for the time being. I huffed, snuggling closer, letting my eyes fall closed. I'd done a lot that day, and exhaustion was finally setting in.

"I'm going to take a nap." I informed him, receiving a noise of confirmation in return. Permission granted, I cleared my mind, getting comfortable and letting myself drift off.

-.-.-+-.-.-

I woke up to a gentle patting at my back, soft, but insistent. It got my eyes opened, and I yawned, stretching before I fell back against his chest with a happy sigh, fully intent on going back to sleep. Why he'd woken me in the first place, I didn't know. He tapped me again though, and I cracked my eyes open again, looking at him with affection and the mildest of annoyance.

"Nee' to star' dinner." He explained. "An' check on the egg." He added. That got me up, very quickly actually. He waited till I was alert, then helped me off of the couch, leading me into the kitchen. I went directly to the pot, looking in to find the egg exactly as we'd left it, though it was looking a little bigger already. Maybe that was just my mind showing me what I wanted to see. Regardless, I smiled, scooting over so Berwald could check the temperature. It was apparently fine, for he didn't change anything, and instead started pulling ingredients from the cabinets and refrigerator. I stood by the counter, staying out of the way, but not leaving the room.

He got to work, making a pizza. I loved pizza, but knew that it wasn't exactly Berwald's favorite. That's not to say he didn't like it, he just didn't like how bad it was for you. (Or so he claimed. I didn't see what could be so bad about something so delicious.) I brought it up, wondering what the occasion was.

"Ah jus' don't wan' to use the stove." He explained, opening the door to the oven and putting the pizza on the rack. "It migh' raise the temperature."

"Oh." Was all I could manage. Berwald was so smart.

We waited as the pizza baked, both of us glancing at the egg rather frequently, cuddling against the counter pretty much the whole time. Eventually the timer went off, and Berwald took the food out of the oven, putting it on the counter and getting the pizza cutter. Four pieces on each plate, we headed over to the island, taking seats and getting started on our dinner.

"Yer off tomorrow, righ'?" He inquired after swallowing his bite. I nodded.  
"Yes, since I traded Elise." I elaborated.

"Then Ah'll pick up the heater on the way home." He decided. I returned my attention to the pot on the stove, smiling fondly.

"Alright. I'll watch the egg. You'll have to show me how to use the thermo-meter." I said, and he chuckled.

"Thermometer." He corrected. I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever." I huffed. He laughed, pressing a kiss to my cheek for my troubles.

"Sorry. Love ya." He murmured. I groaned, already getting a feeling that I knew exactly where this was going.

"Berwald, no, your breath is all pizza-y, and-" I was cut off as he pressed his lips to mine. Tomato sauce wasn't the most romantic flavor, but I just sighed, letting him do as he pleased. He could be so silly sometimes. He pulled away with a soft smile, the tip of his nose brushing against mine before we parted. "Honestly." I breathed, trying to sound like I was put off. He knew better though. We both knew better.

After finishing dinner, he checked on the temperature one more time, then we brushed our teeth and got into bed. He kissed me again as I cuddled against him, and didn't seem to have any plans of stopping until I, with a groan, pushed his face away and turned to face the other way, scooting my butt back till I was flush against his chest. That didn't deter him though, and he focused his kisses on the back of my neck and the crown of my head instead. I giggled, swatting at him as best I could, my actions less than half-hearted.

"Berwald!" I screeched as he reached his hands under my shirt, his fingers cold against my flushing skin. He traveled up till he found my nipples, rolling the pads of his fingers along them until I was gasping. "O-Oh..." I moaned, rolling my hips back into his, feeling that strange hardness pressed against me.

Not much else was spoken between us besides a few broken utterances of each others' names. It was the same as last time, but I had more confidence, more comfort in my actions. I wasn't scared and unsure this time, which let me enjoy it much more, the pearls falling from my eyes purely from pleasure this time, not uncertainty and fear. I wondered vaguely where the pearls from the night before had gone, for I hadn't been the one to clean them up. But I put it from my mind, enjoying the sensations instead, reciprocating them until both of us were whimpering and coming down from an orgasm. It had been even better this time, because I knew that he was officially my mate. We even had an egg.

I smiled, scooting back into my previous position, this time naked and even more exhausted. I sang briefly to put Berwald to sleep, then quickly followed. Or maybe I fell asleep first. I couldn't quite tell. But I stirred sometime in the night when he got up, and listened to him shuffling into the kitchen. I smiled, knowing he was checking the temperature again, and welcomed him back into bed with open arms and a kiss. He fell asleep with his head against my shoulder, arms draped over my middle. And it couldn't have been a better night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello patient and lovely readers~! Like I said last time, I ran out of prewritten chapters, so you were actually waiting for me to write this one. I've started going to school since the last chapter, and, believe it or not, that's helping with my writing. How can I say that? Well... I have another prewritten chapter! Aren't you proud of me? I'm kind of proud... So, anyway, that means that the next one should be relatively quick in coming. The writing has gotten a bit easier, since we're now heading towards the climax. But, as I'm sure you know, that means that this story is coming to a close. I'd guess that, in it's entirety, it'll be about fourteen or fifteen chapters long, give or take. We'll see what'll happen, I suppose.
> 
> It's really hard, when you guys are reviewing about things, to not totally spill the beans. Because, you know, I already know what's going to happen. Your speculation is fun for me though, and it's great to know that people are interested enough in my story to bother speculating at all. You guys are fantastic readers, and I adore you all. I know I've been slacking off on keeping up with everyone, especially those of you that PM me regularly. I promise that I haven't forgotten you, I've just been busy getting enrolled and getting the college thing started. Not to mention I just went to a convention. (Totes fun! It was a yaoi convention! I met a Sve there, but I hadn't brought my Tino cosplay D:) If you want to hear about the convention or see photos, you can check out my deviantart journal.
> 
> So, eggs. So much bullshit science, I can't even tell you. I actually know a bit about biology, and trust me, Tino could not exist. Like, the biology of Mer is ridiculous. I've put a lot of thought into them though. Tino is more Fish than he is human, explaining why he's ectothermic, and why Mer lay eggs instead of giving live birth. So, despite his upper half, I don't think Tino can be considered a mammal. So, that switch between Mer and human would be quite a change, actually. But hei, magic, you know?
> 
> Alright, alright, off I go. I think I'll actually write another chapter tonight, since it's pretty exciting for me, drawing near that climax! Much planned! Bye bye for now, lovelies. Please review, if you have the time~!
> 
> KuroRiya  
> 九六りや


	12. Chapter 12

Watching the way Berwald behaved around the egg became a favorite pastime for me. If I thought I was in love with the little thing, then Berwald could be considered obsessed, truly. The first week, he wouldn't even leave it alone. He switched shifts at work so that either he or I would be at home at all times to look after it. Eventually he gathered that it would be fine by itself for a few hours, and he went to work regularly again. But still, he rushed home every day, checked the temperature of the water, checked the egg itself for any damage.

Perhaps I should have thought it annoying, the way he fawned over it. But no, I thought it rather cute. And, beyond that, I was relieved; I'd feared he wouldn't want it. Even if he said that we could keep it, that didn't mean he had to love it. He could look at the creature that emerged with hatred or even indifference. But it was clear, in the way that he looked after the shell containing the child, that he would love anything that came out as if it were his own.

I felt the same way, of course. But I knew how to care for eggs. I knew that they didn't require much attention at all, heat aside. Because of the aquarium heater, which we'd bought the day after I brought the egg home, it was being kept at a constant temperature which was ideal. Beyond that, not much care was required. It wasn't till the little Mer inside emerged that a parent truly had to devote themselves. Still, I let him be. At least he was excited.

I was too. As much as I felt unprepared, I also felt ready. Sure, it was soon. I realised that I'd have to devote the majority of my time to the baby when it came; Chances were, I'd have to stop working. It would simply be too difficult for me to keep hours and make sure that someone was with the babe at all times. I could tell that Berwald wanted to be the one to stay at home, but his job was the one providing for us, for the most part. My income was just a little extra, to be honest. With luck, I'd be able to apply at the pet store again when the child had matured enough.

But I was ready to forfeit that part of my day. It was small in comparison to a life. I'd choose a baby over work without hesitation. And, with a little bit of practise, I was sure that I'd come to like caring for them. The only thing I was worried about, and I think it was on Berwald's mind as well, was the time we spent together. Point blank, a child would require attention at nearly all times of the day. By living together, we had plenty of privacy and contact, and our schedules allowed for us to spend much of our time with one another. But, with a baby, we'd hardly have time to devote solely to one another. Though we could be near, there would always be another presence. I wasn't stupid; I knew how bad that could be for our still young relationship.

It didn't have to be bad, of course. There was a very strong chance that we could work around it, be better for it. But there was also the distinct possibility that the child could come between us. I couldn't imagine us separating, but it could come to be that we stopped seeing each other romantically. It would be difficult to maintain our intimacy with a baby needing our attention all the time. I'd seen plenty of mates that experienced this. Though they remained with one another, they did not sing together, or kiss. It was sad, but it happened.

I held onto the hope that we'd be stronger than that. I loved Berwald more than words could express, in either of our native tongues. And while I couldn't read his mind, I had a feeling that he returned the sentiment. Even while he doted on the egg, he'd hold me close, press kisses to my temple, dance around the kitchen with me. It was something we shared, and something that would hopefully bring us closer together.

After a few weeks, Berwald started to get antsy. He kept asking how much longer, and wondered what we should do when it hatched. He asked if we shouldn't help the baby out, but I quickly squashed that idea, sending him to work. But before he left, he managed to come to the horrific conclusion that there was a chance neither of us would be at home when it started hatching. I had to promise to quit within the next week to qualm his fears, and I lost track of how many times he claimed he was going to quit too, or take an extended leave of absence. I finally managed to get him going by telling him that you could tell when they were about to hatch. They'd start tapping at the shell about a day before they emerged.

Thankfully, when he returned home, he'd calmed down, and promised to be a good human and continue going to work regularly, so long as I promised to call him on his light-up brick if the baby started hatching. With that, a sense of normalcy set in for us. I did as I'd promised, informing my boss and coworkers that I was expecting, and therefore unfortunately unable to continue working. There were several jokes about how two males could be expecting, but they sent me off with good humor, and the guarantee that I could return if ever I wished. Eduard promised to call on occasion, wanting to continue being friends even without a common work place. He wanted to see the baby when they were born too. I agreed to that, saying my farewell for the time being.

That left me to spend the next few weeks at home, cleaning everything multiple times in my boredom. Usually I'd take walks or visit Matthew when I got bored like that, but I didn't like to leave the house for too long, for fear I wouldn't be there when the egg hatched. It had grown since I'd brought it home, and the shell had hardened. It was only a matter of time.

I would have invited Matthew or Eduard over, but I couldn't run the risk of them being there when the egg hatched, or even to see it and ask me about it. I was a terrible liar, and I'd end up telling them everything. No, better safe than sorry.

But safe was boring, and lonely. Needless to say, I was always more than happy to see Berwald when he got home. I must have been obnoxious, immediately requiring affection and entertainment from him the moment he got home. Even as he cooked dinner, I'd pester him, talking to him endlessly. But he put up with it, all with good humor too. He'd reply to all of my questions, kiss me whenever I invaded his personal space, and cuddle with me anytime we were on the couch or in bed. And, like a spoiled child, I never stopped wanting for it.

On one particular night, I was feeling especially Berwald-starved. I'd literally run out of things to clean, and had resorted to counting how many rectangular objects there were in the house to pass the time. When the door finally creaked open, I was on Berwald faster than the man could remove his shoes.

"You're home!" I chirped, hugging him even while he was doubled over, one nice shoe in his hand, one still on the other foot.

"Ja..." He replied cautiously. I smiled brightly, letting go of him so he could finish taking his shoes off, then I followed him into the living room, claiming his lap when he sat down. He offered me the smallest of smiles when I sprawled out across him, and rubbed at my belly absently. I laughed, the feeling a little ticklish.

"How was work?" I wondered, sitting up so I could rest my head on his shoulder.

"Alrigh'." He replied, a sigh telling another story. I stared at him until he relented. "Mathias wouldn' shut up abou' some guy he met at the beach. Ended up runnin' behind, and Ah had to stay and help him finish." He offered. I nodded understandingly. I heard quite a lot about this Mathias character.

"I'm sorry, love." I cooed, kissing the bit of neck in front of me. He sighed again, seeming to melt into the couch.

"Hows Junior?" He inquired. I'd come to learn that he used that name to refer to the egg.

"Fine. Still in egg form, I'm afraid." I responded. He ruffled my hair, then we fell into companionable silence for a bit, just cuddling on the couch. Around five, he got up to start dinner. I trailed behind, taking a seat at the island and watching him work. I'd learned, after having to deal with a scald on my arm from being splashed with boiling water, not to try and follow him around the kitchen. He'd been very apologetic about the burn, but it had been my fault.

He sat with me to eat, then did the dishes. It was about six thirty when he finished, so, after checking on the egg again, he settled back into the living room. I felt almost bad for crowding him, but not bad enough that I didn't plop right back down in his lap for some more attention. He didn't seem to mind though, guiding me to straddle his lap while my head fell to the crook of his neck. He pulled me up for a few kisses though, ones that left me breathless and wanting more. And so, as I'd learned to do since coming to live with Berwald, I took what I wanted. Getting up on my knees, I pressed my lips to his, tipping his head back so I had more control.

I could tell that he liked it, and that made me feel better, more confident. I deepened the kiss, wrapping my arms about his neck and pressing closer. His arms came up to circle my hips, holding me to him until we had to part for breath. He had to pant a bit before he could speak.

"Bit frisky tonight?" He quipped. I didn't know what that meant, but I didn't care, falling back in for more. I was just about to try and get him to lie down on the couch when he got up, quite suddenly, hands on my bottom to keep me up. I wrapped my legs around his hips as well, squeezing to make sure I didn't fall as he carried me toward the bedroom.

He made it in, toeing the door shut behind us, then walked over to the bed, setting me down on it. He followed, lips finding mine again, and we kissed till I was dizzy. Then his lips were all over, my face, my neck, and after taking my shirt off, my chest. I whined at the feeling, my hips already trembling with want. Now that I knew the pleasures of 'making love,' as Berwald called it, I was hungry for it.

He had clearly tuned into that, as he began ridding himself of clothing as well, then slid down my pants and underwear, palming me before I even had a chance to grasp that I was naked. I keened, fingers twisting in the sheets as I tried to lie still. I'd learned it was actually more pleasurable for me if I could manage not to move too much. I usually failed, of course, but always tried. But, though I was doing well, he didn't take me over the edge, leaving me hanging on the brink as he pulled away, not even touching me.

I gasped, my eyes opening as I stared at him, silently demanding an explanation. He offered none, getting up and walking over to the bedside table. He rummaged around in the drawer, and I watched him curiously and a bit frustrated. Whatever it was, couldn't it have waited? I'd been so close! He seemingly found what he was looking for though, shutting the drawer and returning to the bed.

He rubbed my leg, probably in a bid to sooth my irritation, and I heard a popping noise. I looked to his hand to see a tiny bottle, which he'd opened. It was filled with some kind of liquid, which he squeezed into his hand. I eyed it curiously, looking up at him.

"Ah wan' to do somethin' else." He said, dipping the fingers of his other hand into the liquid, spreading my legs gently with his elbows. I moved as he wished, opening my legs and laying with them splayed, still trying to figure out what he was going to do.

I gasped when his fingers began touching places I wasn't expecting to be touched. What was he thinking, touching down there? And it wasn't pleasant, not like when he touched my arousal. And his fingers were cold from whatever he'd poured out of the bottle, making me flinch as he prodded the ring of muscle.

"Tino, relax." He murmured, his free hand rubbing soothing circles into my inner thigh. I shuddered, but did as he said, calming down and choosing to trust him. He'd never hurt me before. In fact, last time he wanted to 'try something new,' I'd learned the pleasure of sex. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt.

Yet, when he pushed one of his fingers inside, just up to a knuckle, I could find no pleasure in it. I whined, but tried to hold still. He worked slowly, the single digit sliding in a few centimeters at a time, a bit painful but not unbearably so. I eventually got used to the feeling, and he was able to move it with ease, though I saw no point to this practise.

Again, I flinched as he began adding a second finger, this discomfort much more than the initial. He started tugging at my arousal again though, bringing back the hardness that was fading away as his other hand worked. That helped distract me, and soon enough, he was able to thrust his fingers in and out, and even spread the two apart, stretching the muscles with minimal pain. He kept at it till I hardly noticed it, then took the fingers out. I groaned with frustration as he stopped stroking me as well, but he hushed me, so I kept quiet.

I was still curious about the thing with the fingers, but ignored it in favor of kissing Berwald as he slotted his hips between my thighs. But I could keep quiet no longer when I felt something that certainly wasn't fingers dip down to same place.

"Berwald, please, what are you doing?" I questioned, looking down at him. He met my gaze, and I noticed the flush spread over his cheeks. But still, he looked me in the eye, sighing.

"I's called anal." He explained, thumbs running patterns into my hip bones as he spoke. "I's the mos' intimate way to have sex." He elaborated. Oh. So that's what all of this was about. He wanted to take it further. I blinked a few times, then nodded.

"Will it hurt?" I wondered. He bit his lip a bit.

"A little." He admitted. "No' much if ya relax." He added. I did as he said, forcing my body to relax as he moved back into position.

I couldn't help my gasp of surprise as he began to push his length into me. He was much larger than his fingers had been, and the stretch stung a little. But he moved very slowly, kissing at my skin and rubbing my muscles the whole way. Before I could even grasp the whole situation, his hips were pressed against my bottom, and he was entirely inside. He stayed there for a long time, waiting as I managed to calm down, to stop straining so much. Then he started moving, still incredibly slow, letting me get a feel for the motion. The pain dissolved into mere discomfort, which eventually faded to simple fullness. I could handle it.

I was spurred on by the fact that Berwald seemed to be getting quite a bit of pleasure from it, even if he was clearly holding back on my account. So, as soon as I had gotten past the discomfort, I began to rock my hips against his, hoping to indicate that he could move faster, and I'd be fine. He took the hint, hands finding my hips to offer him leverage as he thrust in.

The fullness slowly worked its way into an agreeable feeling, and a few soft moans began to spill from my lips, the volume rising as we went on. Then, quite abruptly, he hit something inside that made my body shudder, my mouth open with a silent scream. He paused for a moment, then hit it again, eliciting another, very similar reaction from me. After that, it became a game of who could roll their hips faster, who could cry out the loudest. I think I won, in both respects.

It was such a strange, foreign feeling. At first, it had been uncomfortable, but now I was enjoying the feeling of Berwald inside of me. I wonder if it felt as nice for him as it did for me. Maybe he'd switch with me next time. But, in that moment, I was pleased to be on the receiving end. So much so that I reached up, pulling Berwald to me to give him a kiss, a sloppy, open-mouthed, wet one. I couldn't make it a very deep kiss though, so labored was my breathing. I felt that now-familiar tightness building up in my lower stomach, and the pace of my bucking hips became uneven, stuttering and too fast.

Berwald hefted me up so that I was mostly vertical, his strong arms helping me to continue moving in my upright position. This way, he sank in even further, and it had my head spinning. I tried to warn him, getting as far as "I'm going-" before I fell over the edge, releasing the tightness. Orgasm, as Berwald had called it. My release fell against his stomach, and I collapsed against his chest, thoroughly exhausted. He didn't force me to do any more work, thrusting up into me while I lay still until he was spent as well, a hot wetness filling me before he removed himself and laid us both down.

It took some shuffling, but he eventually got us laying side by side, and he pulled me closer to his side, one hand on my waist and the other in my hair, mussing it absently. In the next half hour or so, he kissed me, rubbed my back, and told me he loved me more times than I could count. After that, he picked me up, carrying me into the bathroom for a shower. He let me sit, and cleaned me himself, making sure all of his release was gone before turning the water off and drying off. I tried walking after that, finding it a bit uncomfortable but not impossible.

Still, I was groggy, so, after checking on the egg again and turning all of the lights off, he led me back to the bedroom. He made me wait, changing the sheets before he'd let me get into the bed. Then he wrapped me up in his arms, stroked my hair again. It was too early to sleep, but we were too exhausted to do much. So we simply talked.

"Sorry for following you around as soon as you got home." I said meekly. He smiled, brushing my bangs back.

"Don' apologize. Love havin' ya around." He chided, kissing my forehead. "An' Ah can imagine how bored ya mus' be, home by yerself all day."

"It's not so bad, honestly. I think I'm just particularly antsy, since Mer are such social creatures. I'll be fine though, don't worry." I assured, snuggling into his chest.

"Ah try to ge' home early, bu' Mathias has been a real problem lately." He grumbled. I frowned sympathetically, wondering if he'd elaborate. "Like Ah said, he's been talkin' abou' some guy he me' at the beach. Says he's real special, and he's in love. Bu' the guy sounds pretty terrible." He said, frowning himself. "Accordin' to Mathias, he's really cold, sarcastic, and violen'. And he's apparently lookin' fer someone." He explained.

"Is that bad? Maybe he got separated from his family, or something." I suggested, shrugging my shoulders. Berwald shook his head quickly.

"No, tha's not wha' it sounds like." He mumbled. "Sounds more like a man hun', to me." He added. I furrowed my brows.

"Oh... Perhaps he is one of those... Lice officers?" I tried. Berwald chuckled.

"Police." He corrected, kissing my cheek. "And maybe. It's not mah business anyway." He decided, pulling me closer. I nodded at that. I'd never met Mathias, not really. I had seen him a few times, when I would bring lunch to Berwald's office, or share his break, but we'd never spoken or anything. He seemed to be quite a source of stress for Berwald though, so maybe it was for the best.

We fell into comfortable silence, both of us dozing off after a while, despite the early hour. It was simply too lovely being wrapped up in each other's arms. If worse came to worse, we'd be up early the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think frisky quite covers it. OwO  
> Well, as I said last time, we're drawing close to the climax, and I'm therefore more excited to work on this one. Hence this relatively quick update. I have one chapter ahead of this, and then, I do believe, it's time for the climax! The next chapter is short though, just to warn you guys. Don't fight me or anything.
> 
> Another reason I wanted to get this one out tonight is because: Dun dun dun! I've started a collaborative story with Tora-Star! (Author of Cheers to a New Life) She, Terra Saltt, and I are all in frequent contact. We're, like, buddies and stuff. We're even planning an irl meeting. But anyway, this rant has a purpose: Tora and I both saw Frozen, and had the EXACT same idea. Think Frozen AU, my friends. I was telling her about my idea, and she informed me that she was already working on, literally, the same story. So she offered to make it a collab, and who was I to say no?
> 
> So, we made a joint account (Tora-Riya, over on fanfic. ) and the first chapter was posted earlier tonight! She wrote the first chapter, and I wrote the second. I'll be uploading mine in a few days, after her chapter gets a chance to get reviews and stuff. But I've gotta say, it's already been a lot of fun working with her. There's a definite difference in our writing styles, but I'm liking the way they go together. Anyway, the story is called 'Frozen Heart' if you want to check it out. She's an amazing writer, one of my role models actually, so I'd appreciate it if you supported the both of us! It'll be a fun story, I promise! Here's a link, if you want to take a look: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10070851/1/Frozen-Heart  
> (I'll ask her about uploading it on Ao3 as well.)
> 
> In other news, it's been a while since I reminded everyone: I have not only an A03 account, but a FF, a Deviantart, and a Tumblr! And I love it when I see readers on other sites. I'll even give you my facebook/skype, if you want to talk. I'm a social creature, most of the time. My Deviantart account is an ask profile, so you can ask the characters (or me) any questions you have, and I'll draw you a response! My page hasn't been feeling the love lately, so I thought I'd remind you guys. You can find that here: http://ask-nstac.deviantart.com/  
>  My tumblr is also an ask profile, but it'll be text responses there: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/ask-kuroriya  
>  Or you can follow my main blog, but that is something you do at your own risk. I post a lot of SnK stuff on that one, and much gay. NSFW happens on occasion. So that's up to you: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/kuroriya
> 
> Alright, off I go! I have much JeanMarco to write, I'm afraid. Till next time, lovelies.
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	13. Chapter 13

The next day was lazy. As I'd guessed, we woke earlier than we normally did, as we'd gone to sleep before it was even entirely dark out. Berwald stirred first, and woke me as he tried to get out of bed. I yawned loudly, alerting him to my wakeful state, and he offered me a smile as he leaned down to plant a kiss on my lips. We exchanged morning greetings, then he shuffled into the kitchen to make some black-drink of energy. I could smell it from the bedroom.

I could guess from his lack of loud noises that the egg hadn't hatched while we slept. Therefore, I took my time, eventually dragging myself from the bed and locating some clothes to wear for the day. It was then that I joined him in the kitchen, accepting a glass of orange juice and leaning against the counter while he made pancakes.

He gave me the first batch, stacking them on a plate and handing them to me. I fished the syrup out of the fridge, a gift from Matthew. I frowned, realising I hadn't returned the favor yet. I pondered what I could give him as a gift as I began eating. I wanted it to be something homemade, like the syrup he'd given me. He'd gone on a trip to visit his family in Canada, and had made too much syrup while there, explaining the bottle he gifted to me.

But I didn't really know how to make much besides a lunchbox. Would that do? Probably not, but it was really all I could do. Berwald sat down, having finished his own stack of pancakes. I chewed my bite before I inquired of him.

"I think I'm going to stop by Matthew's today." I announced. He looked a little worried at the news. "I won't be out long. And, trust me, that egg has a while yet. The baby will start tapping at it when it's about to come out, which it hasn't done." I explained. Berwald nodded.  
"You mentioned tha'." He recalled.

"Good. So it'll be alright if I leave for a bit. I'll hurry back, promise." I offered, taking another bite.

"Alrigh'. Probably feelin' cooped up anyway." He agreed, and I smiled.

"Joo. Well, anyway, I wanted to tell you, so that you'd be expecting me. I'll make your lunch and stop it by on the way back." I said, taking my empty plate to the sink, rinsing it off so that it'd be easier to wash later.

"Okej." He replied, sucking down some more of his drink. "Ah'll be expectin' ya. Ya can stay an' eat with me, if ya wan'." He added. I smiled, nodding quickly.

"I'll pack for two then." I agreed, sitting back down next to him, offering conversation while he finished eating. I let him get dressed in peace, and he joined me for the tail end of an episode of the Moomins, then he was off, kissing me goodbye. Once he'd left, I got to work on the three lunches I had to prepare. One for Matthew, two for Berwald and I.

I made pretty much everything I knew how to, packing it all away as prettily as I could. It took me until about eleven to get it all done, and I decided that was as good a time as any to head over to Matthew's house. I checked on the egg before I left, lingering for a few minutes just to make sure there was, indeed, no tapping noises. When none came, I took my leave.

It felt like it had been ages since I'd been out and about. It was nice to feel the wind through my hair again, the fresh air filling my lungs. I walked pretty briskly, knowing I'd end up talking to Matthew for a while, and still wanting to make it in time for Berwald's break. I made it to the familiar house rather quickly this way, ringing the doorbell and hoping that Matthew would be at home.

I almost left, dejected, when he finally opened his door, peeking out before widening it and smiling at me.

"Hey, I haven't seen you in a while Tino." He called, and I offered him an apologetic grin.

"I've been... Busy. I'll tell you about it?" I suggested, and he nodded, waving me in. He led me to the living room, gesturing for me to have a seat. The first thing I did was hand him the lunch. He was clearly confused, but nodded understandingly when I explained that I was repaying him for the syrup. He promised to eat it later, not liking to eat when others weren't.

"So, what's kept you so busy?" He wondered. I smiled nervously.

"Well, um... Ber and I are having a baby soon." I replied, excitement lacing my tone. He quirked a brow, sitting back.

"I'll take that to mean that you're adopting soon." He supplied quickly, and I nodded. "That's wonderful, Tino." He said, smiling softly. I nodded eagerly.

"I can't wait! I wasn't sure if I was ready for it, but now I know I am. I'm so excited!" I gushed. Matthew laughed.

"I can tell. And as long as you feel ready, then I'm sure you two will do fine." He agreed. "Are you adopting an older child, or are you adopting a new born?" He wondered.

"A newborn." I said, quickly. He nodded again.

"Do you know the gender yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Any names picked out?"

That one made me think. Should we be picking names out? Hmm...

"No... I'll have to talk to Berwald about it." I decided. Matthew chuckled.

"It's alright not to have things entirely figured out. A lot changes when you see your baby for the first time. My parents were, originally, going to name me Winston. Thank god they changed their minds when they saw me. Alfred, my brother, was going to be Aaron. Just give it time. I'm sure you'll think of something perfect." He promised. I grinned, nodding. "You'll have to invite me over when you get everything sorted out. I'd love to meet your child."

I promised to do just that, then excused myself. I still had to make it over to Berwald's office. Matthew saw me to the door, waving as I left, promising to return the Tupperware next time we met. Then I was walking again, quickly, towards the company building. I arrived a little flustered, but on time, and they let me in, shooing me towards Berwald's desk. He smiled at me when he saw me, beckoning me over and tugging me down for a kiss. I giggled, then followed him into the break room, taking out everything I'd brought, and getting to work on eating my half.

We shared a bit of conversation, but that came to an abrupt halt when Mathias, who I recognized from the few times I'd seen him, sat down across from us.

"Mathias... Yer break isn' till later." Berwald pointed out, fixing the man with a hard stare. He didn't flinch, a grin spreading across his face.

"Elizabeta asked to trade with me. Wants to call her husband during her break, but he's working till later." He explained, shrugging as he took out a lunch of his own. Berwald looked annoyed, and I tried to sooth him by offering him half of the sandwich I was currently eating. He took it, kissing my temple. Mathias quirked a brow. "Ooh, right, I forgot that you had a boyfriend." He laughed, nodding his head towards Berwald.

"Ja, Ah do." He replied, voice very steady. Scarily steady. Berwald, definitely, didn't like Mathias.

"That's kinda surprising. He's even cute! How'd you score yourself someone so great?" He wondered. I winced. Did he realise how rude he sounded?

"Berwald is lovely." I offered, feeling a gentle squeeze on the arm, courtesy of the one in question.

"Yeah?" Mathias wondered, scrutinizing his coworker. "He seems pretty boring to me." He admitted, shrugging. "Maybe he's surprisingly good in bed or something."

"He is." I agreed. A little noise escaped Berwald's throat, and I looked up to see him very red in the face. I smiled, patting his shoulder. That didn't seem to help. Mathias cackled.

"Imagine that. I like your boyfriend." He announced, looking at Berwald. "He's got spunk, I can tell." He laughed, his brows rising and falling quickly. "And he's a looker too. Such pretty hair, and eyes. What color are they?" He wondered, looking closely. It was my turn to shy away.

"Um... Violet." I replied, nervously. He didn't seem phased, nodding.

"That's a really interesting color. You don't see it very often." He said, smiling at me again. "Sorry, you'll have to remind me of your name."

"Tino." I offered quietly. He nodded, tapping his forehead.

"I'll remember." He assured me, though I had a feeling he wouldn't. "Waldy talks about you a lot. Well, for him anyway. Makes me pretty jealous." He joked, laughing heartily. "I hear you two are expecting."

I smiled, nodding happily.

"Yes! Sometime soon." I said joyously. Berwald took my hand for a moment, squeezing my fingers.

"It must be nice to be so domesticy. The guy I'm living with won't even give me the time of day. He's pretty violent, actually. He's given me a decent smattering of bruises." He shuddered as he told us. "He's definitely my type, but he's so focused on finding someone, he doesn't even look at me. Some charity case he is." He grumbled, stabbing the last few noodles of his lunch, shoving them in his mouth. I frowned, feeling bad about his hardship.

"I'm sure he'll come to his senses soon enough. Just be there for him." I suggested. Mathias seemed surprised I'd said anything at all, but he eventually grinned.

"Thanks little guy." He said, standing up and ruffling my hair as he headed back towards the desks. "I'll do my best." He called over his shoulder.

Berwald and I were quiet for a moment in his absence, then he sighed heavily.

"Ah'm so glad Ah don' usually share a break with him." He announced. I smiled wryly.

"He doesn't seem so bad." I tried, but he only gave me an incredulous look.

"Ya haven' had to work with him for years." He groaned, and I laughed, nudging him with my shoulder.

"You ought to be nicer to him, and maybe he wouldn't annoy you so much." I pointed out.

Seemingly too soon, his break was over, and I bid him goodbye, heading back home. The egg was just as I'd left it, so I went back into the kitchen and cleaned up after myself, not having bothered when I was preparing lunch. It gave me something to do, for a little while at least. After that, I settled in for a Moomin Marathon, watching one of the DVDs that Eduard had given me. I'd already seen it a few times, but it was never enough for me.

I ended up falling asleep after about five episodes, waking to a gentle shaking. I opened my eyes, finding Berwald hovering over me, shaking my shoulder gently. When I smiled at him groggily, he shook his head.

"Mornin' sleepy." He said, sitting down in the small space left near my tummy. I giggled.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sleep." I yawned, rolling over to lay on my side instead, making a little extra room for him. "Did you just get home?" I wondered. He nodded his head.

"Ja. Gonna make dinner, if ya wan' to sleep a little more." He offered, but I shook my head.

"No, that's alright. I've been asleep for a few hours already. Help me up?" I implored, and he rolled his eyes, standing and then taking my hands, tugging me first into a sitting position, and then into a standing one. I laughed as I nearly lost my balance, Berwald twirling me a few times as he caught me, as if to make it seem like that'd been his intention the entire time. I rather liked spinning with him, so I began singing, softly at first but louder as he got the hint and started dancing.

Dancing with Berwald was always fun. He'd clearly been trained to dance the correct way, while I was still pretty new to walking. My steps were clumsy as his were perfect, but he didn't seem to mind, smiling when I accidentally stepped on his foot or nearly lost my balance. Eventually, he decided it would be easier if he did the moving, and he lifted me, setting me back down on his feet. It went a lot smoother then, and I giggled as he maneuvered me around the furniture and into the kitchen, finally sitting me down at the island. I continued to sing to him while he cooked.

"What're ya always singin' abou'?" He asked as I trailed off, voice a little tired. I smiled.

"It depends who I'm singing to." I replied.

"What were ya singin' abou' just now?" He specified.

"How much I love you." I said, without any hesitation. He seemed a little surprised, but it quickly melted into a happy look, and he came over to steal a kiss.

"Yer wonderful." He cooed, and I chuckled.

"So are you. I owe you everything, Berwald." I realised the truth of it as I said it. "I... I wouldn't even be alive if not for you. If you hadn't fished me out... That hunter would have killed me. And even if I'd managed to escape, what kind of life would I be living? Hiding in a cavern full of Mer who hate me almost as much as the rest of the population hates them. The only one that cared was my bedmate, and it was more of a... A survival relationship. There was more to be had if we shared. But..." I paused, taking a breath. "But I love it here. I love you. I love our child. And everything is wonderful because of you." I finished.

He seemed to have forgotten about dinner, rounding the counter and pulling me into an embrace, kissing every bit of skin he could find. I nearly fell over because of the force, but managed to keep myself on the stool, kissing back when I could. He didn't pull away till the fire alarm was going off, at which point he had to start over, having thoroughly blackened what was supposed to have been our dinner. That was alright though. I loved that about him too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to post it till I had another written... But it's valentines day. What better way to celebrate than with some gooey SuFin? I might write a little JeanMarco oneshot or something too. The world needs more of those.
> 
> Anyway, it's a bit short, as it's only meant to serve as something of a bridge to the next chapter. We get closer and closer to the climax every time! It should be within the next two chapters, if I'm not mistaken! (I could very well be mistaken, don't hold me to it.)
> 
> Not much is going on for me today~! I've been going to school like a good girl and working hard in hopes of having some spending money for planet comicon. I'm working on a new cosplay though! I'm doing Anna from Frozen! I jumped on that bandwagon super fast, can you tell. I really tried not to like Frozen, but it was too perfect for me not to.
> 
> Speaking of, I'm still advertising Frozen Heart! That's the collaborative Frozen AU that Tora-Star and I are working on. It's only at two chapters so far, as school attacked the both of us before we had a chance to get much done. But it should be updating pretty soon. I wrote chapter two, and will be writing chapter four as soon as Tora gets chapter three up. It's a really fun project, and if you like Frozen, you'll probably like it. I mean, how perf is Tino as Anna?
> 
> Alright, happy Valentines or Singles Awareness day, whichever you celebrate or don't. If you don't celebrate anything, then happy update! I'm gonna get back to work on my Anna skirt, so see you next time!
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	14. Chapter 14

We woke to the alarm, both of us groaning as Berwald reached blindly for the snooze button. He ended up falling out of bed in the process, and that made it pretty much impossible for him to return to the cocoon of warmth we'd created. He turned it off, then gave me a kiss, tucking me back into bed.

"Ah'll be home later." He promised, brushing my bangs back and planting a kiss to my forehead. Usually I got up with him in the mornings, but I was pretty tired, so I nodded, snuggling back into the comforter. I didn't have much body heat of my own, so I had to bask in what warmth he left for me. Thankfully, human clothing did a good job of keeping one warm, so I fared pretty well during the day. But I wasn't wearing any at that point, so that tidbit didn't really matter.

I heard him showering, heard him making something to eat, and heard him leave. He called back to me to tell me he loved me, then the door clicked shut. I was too tired to yell back, but he already knew how I felt. The words weren't necessary.

It didn't take long for me to fall asleep again, and I snoozed until about ten. The bed wasn't very warm at all anymore, so I got up sluggishly, taking a warm shower to get me moving again. Once I was functioning properly, I meandered into the kitchen and warmed up the breakfast he'd left for me, checking on the egg while I waited for the whirring box of magic heat to warm my food. It was as it had been; still, quiet. I gazed down at it fondly nonetheless, smiling as I pictured what kind of creature might come out. I couldn't wait to love it.

I sat down to my breakfast and took my time eating, knowing I wouldn't have much to do aside from cleaning, which I had quickly bored of. There's only so much dust that can gather in any one house, after all. Berwald, in trying to be a good boyfriend, had tried to take over cleaning duties for a while. He couldn't find anything to do though, and eventually gave up on that.

After eating and washing my plate, I went out to tend my garden. I ended up taking some flowers inside, since they were growing so well. I found a vase under the sink to put them in, smiling at the pretty blooms. I hoped Berwald would like them.

Boredom set in after that, something I was getting used to. I tried drawing, but nothing looked very good, so I decided it wasn't a good day for drawing. And, after watching the same Moomin DVD for the tenth time, and singing the theme under my breath, I decided I needed to stop. Berwald would yell at me if he knew. Apparently there was such a thing as too much Moomin. Fancy that!

Glancing at the clock, I whined. It wasn't even noon, and I was already fidgeting. What was I to do? I thought about visiting Matthew, but I didn't want to bother him twice in a row. Eduard usually had a shift around that time, so he was out of the question too.

Sighing with resignation, I located the not-light-up brick that was the house phone, and, with a bit of effort, managed to call Berwald's office. He picked up, and I let him know that I wanted to join him for lunch. I could practically hear his smile as he agreed and promised to wait to eat. Then I got to work, making my own lunch and a bit of dessert. I knew he already had one, so I didn't bother with two. It made the process quicker, and I took up a quick pace to the office building, knowing he was already behind schedule for his normal lunch time.

It was a bit chilly outside, and I realised that it was getting later in the year. I'd always been underwater for the changing of seasons, but I knew when they were transitioning because of the different fish that would be migrating. Now it was made obvious by colors. The trees, instead of the bright green I'd grown used to, had begun taking on colors of orange, brown, red, and yellow. It was pretty, and a sight I enjoyed. But it was tinged with a bit of melancholy, as I knew that they were changing these colors because they were dying. But they'd live again in spring, so I didn't dwell on it too much.

I could see Berwald's building up ahead, and smiled to myself, almost tripping over my feet in my excitement to see him. I was late to begin with, so all I could think about was getting inside. Besides, he'd be expecting me. I reached for the handle of the door, turning when I heard some footsteps, thinking it might be Berwald, or one of his coworkers. Elizabeta and I had chatted a few times while I waited for him to finish up. I was kind of hoping for Berwald though, thinking he might have come out to meet me. Maybe he wanted to eat outside for a change of pace.

He had me by the hair before I could even register who was standing in front of me. I screamed, dropping the bag with my lunch and trying desperately to escape, but his grip was unfaltering, pulling my hair painfully taught. Before I could make any more noise, the Hunter covered my mouth with his hand, cupping it so that I would be unable to bite him. I struggled frantically, but as it had been the first time he captured me, his hold was stronger than mine. Tears welled to my eyes, pearls falling to the ground with a sound akin to falling rain.

How had he found me? I hadn't so much as neared the ocean since the day I took the egg from the dying mermaid, and that was the only time I had approached it since escaping. Surely he couldn't have seen, couldn't have known. Any sane Mer would have forgotten about me after I was fished out by the net.

He dragged me into an alleyway, keeping me pressed close against his chest. I screamed and begged, but it was all muffled by his hand. He brought his lips to my ear, his breath uncomfortably hot as it fell upon my skin.

"No one can hear you. Stop." He commanded, and I did as he said, silencing my yells to pathetic whimpers of fear. I shook, knowing from experience that I had no chance of escaping the Hunter without aid. My throat tightened as I thought of Berwald, right inside of the building to my left, the wall close enough for me to reach out and touch. Yet he couldn't hear me, couldn't help me. I howled with distress, my tears increasing in number as I resigned myself to what was surely about to happen.

I tried to remember the last moment that Berwald and I had shared with one another. I hadn't gotten up with him like I usually did. I didn't eat breakfast with him, or wish him a good day, or send him off with a kiss. I hadn't even told him I loved him as he left. Had I told him on the phone? When was the last time I kissed him properly? The memory seemed foggy, all of my days spent with Berwald blending into one and making it impossible for me to know if I had done those things that day, or the day before. Did Berwald know? Would he know, in the weeks to come, as he returned home to an empty house, that I loved him more than life itself? As he raised the little Mer child that was going to hatch soon, would he remember that I was just as excited as he to be a parent, by his side? When he laid in his large bed, all alone, having trouble falling asleep, would he hear my soft lullabies filled with words of love, as if a sigh on the wind?

I went limp, too much weighing on my mind for me to remain upright anymore. But, as my fortune would have it, the Hunter obviously wasn't as accustom to land as I was. He stumbled with the sudden weight, having to use his hands to catch himself on the wall, lest he fall himself. He cursed, hands reaching for me the moment he had his footing again, but I had taken full advantage of my opportunity, darting away from him as quickly as I could, standing back up and breaking into a run. He, of course, pursued, but fell behind me as he strained the limbs he was unfamiliar with. But I knew that his stamina was better than mine. Though I could run faster, he would outlast me. I screamed for Berwald as I passed through the alley and the door of his office building, praying he would hear me. But I had no time to stop and see, the Hunter was hot on my trail, rushing me into a panic that left me sprinting down the street.

I had run for what seemed like ages before, mentally scolding myself for my stupidity, I realised that I should have entered the office building earlier. The Hunter wouldn't dare harm me in the presence of so many humans, and if he tried, surely someone would stop him! I turned a corner, deciding to run around the block. I was more than halfway back, but I could feel the fatigue catching up to me, and with it the Hunter. I pushed my body, turning the last corner. I could see the building, and someone standing outside. Someone very tall, very familiar.

"Berwald!" I cried, my spirits lifting. He looked my way, but I couldn't see his expression yet. Surely it was surprise. But I didn't care. Just seeing him was enough to make me feel safe again. It was stupid of me to think so, though.

I was tackled to the ground, falling harshly on the unforgiving pavement. I could feel my skin scraping against the hard ground, and the wetness that began to seep from my new wounds. I yelped, quickly turning over in a bid to fight the Hunter off, but he had already proven a better fighter than me, and the most I could do was hold my arms up to protect my face. I could hear Berwald calling to me, his voice nearing each time I heard it. However, before my love could get to me, the Hunter ceased his attack, drawing me once more against his body. One of his hands disappeared for a moment, then pressed against my throat, the cold bite of a sharpened bone sending shivers down my spine. I looked up to see Berwald had halted, only a few feet away from me, a look of horror upon his face.

"No closer." The Hunter spat, pressing the blade closer to my pulse. I whined, looking up at Berwald sadly. He was speechless, frozen and unable to help me. "Back up. Over there." The Hunter demanded, pointing to a spot much further away. Berwald shook his head, staying firmly planted. The Hunter growled, but seemingly decided to ignore him. He turned me to face him, looking at me with apparent disgust.

"Have you any words for your lover? I'll give you only a moment, so I suggest you make it fast." He sneered, dark eyes offering no indications of his feelings. Perhaps he had none. I turned my face to look at Berwald, renewed tears spilling forth as I saw his terror-stricken face. I scrambled for what to say. There were so many things, so many loose ends, things I knew would take me an eternity to say. I stuttered, unable to think, unable to speak. The hunter made a noise of annoyance, pressing the blade against my pulse harder, threatening me effectively. I whined, looking once more at my love.

"I'm sorry, Berwald, for everything. I've been nothing but trouble, I know. But I love you, I really do. Please, take care of the baby when it hatches, I promised the mother I would, so promise me that you'll keep my promise for me?" I plead, not waiting for his answer or bothering with proper speech. "I loved living with you, and I love you so much, so please, don't forget me." I cried, my words broken by heavy sobs. He tried to speak to me as well, to assure me that I wasn't going to die here, but I knew better. I returned my gaze to the Hunter, pleading silently with him to let me go, but it had no effect. He pressed the blade against my neck, and I could feel the first inklings of pain as he drew blood. I cried out, trying to focus on Berwald's voice, wanting him to be the last thing I heard, at least. He yelled my name, and I knew that he had lurched forward in an attempt to save me. My eyes widened with fear at the thought of the Hunter killing him as well, but suddenly the pressure was gone from my throat.

I waited, expecting my world to go black with death, but it didn't. In fact, everything was just as vivid as it had always been. I was confused, a million thoughts running through my mind as I looked up at my would-be killer. But instead of malice or anger at his failure in taking my life, he was crying. The pearls fell upon my lap, mixing with my own, my eyes widening at the sight. I could feel each one, a muffled tapping sound just barely audible as they bounced from my legs to the ground. He pulled me to him, not to force me to his will, but to embrace me. His arms wrapped around me, his head falling into the crook of my shoulder as he wept.

Berwald, after seeing the scene, came around behind the Hunter, looking at me with worry evident, though he seemed comforted by my being alive. He was just as confused as I. The Hunter began mumbling, incoherently at first, but I eventually realised he was saying a name, over and over again.

"-il, I'm sorry Emil, I tried. Emil-"

I frowned, recognising the name, but wondering how the Hunter knew it. I pushed him from me, holding him at arm's length as I looked him over. He looked utterly broken, his eyes far away, his consciousness obviously lost within a memory that only he could see. It was such a juxtaposition, considering what I'd seen of him up to that point. All I'd known was that he was cold, calculating, and cruel. It never dawned on me that he felt emotions just as I did. While he was, clearly, better at hiding them behind a facade, he still had them.

Taking the intelligent course of action for once in my life, I removed the knife from his hand, throwing it far beyond his reach, then I shook him harshly, forcing him to remember where he was. It was cruel of me, perhaps, but I had no sympathy for him. He had made me too miserable too many times for me to indulge in this sudden breakdown of his. His gaze snapped up to meet mine, anger slowly making it to his expression at last. He looked as if he was about to say something, maybe curse me, but I cut him off.

"How do you know that name?" I demanded.

"What?" He snarled.

"Emil. How do you know that name?" I pressed, glaring. He paused, thinking over his answer before he gave it. I could tell he was hesitant about answering me at all, but I think he realised just how few his options were at the moment. He no longer had the upper hand.

"...He was my brother. But he died years ago. What business is it of yours?" He questioned, glaring at me just as much as I was him. I ignored his question.

"Why did you start crying all of a sudden?"  
He was quiet for a long time, sizing me up, as if considering whether he could escape me or not. But Berwald's presence made that pretty much impossible. I worried for a moment that he would simply attack me with his fists, but he bit his lip instead.

"...You remind me of him." He admitted, glancing away for a moment. "But it doesn't matter, he's dead, and so should you be." He spat, his focus landing on the knife I had thrown. I scowled at him, snapping my fingers in his face to return his attention to me.

"He had violet eyes?" I suggested. He nodded, his expression hardening. "And how old was he when he died?"

"What do you care?! Leave it!" He yelled, his lips curling into a snarl. But I didn't falter. After seeing him, so entirely broken right in front of me, my fear of him had waned. I realised that he was just as mortal as me. It was a strange idea, and I was having some difficulty with wrapping my mind around it. However, he was now disarmed, and therefore not much of a threat to me, seeing as Berwald was looming just behind him, should he try anything.

"Answer me!" I yelled right back, daring him with my eyes to deny me again. He met my gaze, obviously intent on challenging me. But I guess he weighed his chances, and finally admitted his defeat.

"...He had seen five years." He mumbled. I frowned, doing the math, his words only confirming my suspicions. I worried my lip between my teeth, looking him over again. He looked positively miserable, tired, and completely destroyed. I sighed.

"...Are you Lukas?" I asked. His face shot up, his eyes wide with surprise.

"How did-"

"I know your brother." I announced. I watched as several emotions flickered across his previously blank face. Confusion, anger, disbelief, hope, each as fleeting as the flame of a candle melted to the last bit of wick. He finally made eye contact with me, taking a moment to think of his words, cautious with his question.

"What do you mean?" He demanded, though his voice was no longer the harsh and commanding tone of before.

"I mean that I know him. He and I shared sleeping space before I escaped from you the first time." I explained. His skepticism was evident, but still I could see the undeniable hope that was forming in his heart.

"You mean to say... He's alive?" He wondered, his voice growing smaller towards the end.

"He was when I left." I confirmed. He sat back, taking in the new information. I gave him a moment to think, looking up to Berwald. He still looked worried, but he was easily comforted by a smile from me. I opened my arms, beckoning him over to me. He walked quickly, nearly knocking me over as he quickly knelt and embraced me. He held on way too tight, but I understood his desperation; we had almost lost one another only moments prior. Still, I kept my eyes on the Hunter, my wariness of him not having faded. He waited for Berwald and I to part before asking his next question.

"Please, where is he?" He begged, his voice barely audible, obviously strained with the effort of not crying again. I bit my lip, worrying it between my teeth again. To put it simply, I couldn't tell him where to find his brother. Though he was obviously telling the truth about his long lost family member, and though I knew Emil would want to see him too, I couldn't just lead him to the caves. Every Violet-Eyes I knew lived there, relying on the secrecy for their safety. I could not jeopardize all of their lives. He was, after all, still a Hunter.

"Please." He whispered. I sighed, having made my decision.

"I can't." I told him. His face fell, and I could see his heart beginning to break right before my eyes. Before he could get too sad, or too angry, I continued. "But I'll go get him for you." I added. He seemed surprised, but didn't raise any protest. "I can't tell you where he is, for he is in hiding with many other Violet-Eyes. I don't trust you enough to send you to him. But I'll tell him that you are here, waiting for him." He nodded vigorously. "However, you have to stay with Berwald while I'm gone. I won't have you tailing me. And you need to answer some questions." He agreed quickly, thanking me profusely. Berwald, however, wasn't so keen on the idea.

"Tino," he called, getting my attention. "Isn't it dangerous for ya?" He asked, and I frowned, nodding.

"Yes, but I should be fine if I'm careful." I assured him.

"If your hiding place is anywhere near where I found you, I can tell you that your chances are very good. I am the only Hunter that patrols that area, so unless the king was somehow alerted of a large population, there shouldn't be anyone around." The Hunter offered. It was apparent that Berwald was uncomfortable with the idea, but he knew better than to try and talk me out of it. He had learned that my stubbornness would win out over his better judgment.

A lot happened after that. Berwald had to go back to work, at least to explain that he had to leave. The Hunter, Lukas, ended up coming in with us, since I didn't trust him to be out of my sight. I made sure to pick the knife up as I passed, handing it to Berwald for safekeeping. While I got the feeling that the Hunter was done attacking me, I wasn't taking any chances. Too many times carelessness had nearly taken my life, and I wouldn't risk it again.

He came quietly, Berwald in front of him, me behind him.

We walked straight to the shift manager, and Berwald began explaining that we were having a family emergency, and that he needed to leave. The shift manager, of course, was against it, and they began arguing a bit. That drew attention, and a few other employees started gathering to see what the fuss was. Berwald was always such a good employee, it must have been surprising to see him asking to go on such short notice.

Eventually news got around to Mathias, and he came to see what was up. I caught his eyes, and he tried to ask me what was going on, pushing his way to the front. He kind of froze when his eyes landed on the Hunter though.

"Lukas?" He breathed, looking at him with obvious confusion. The Hunter looked up at him briefly, sighing. "What are you doing here?" He wondered.

"Not now." Lukas replied quietly, shooting him a glare that practically begged him to ask again.

I myself was looking at Mathias with a bit of horror. Everything started clicking in my mind. Mathias had mentioned a guest, one he'd met on the beach. The guest was violent. The guest was looking for someone. And Mathias had been interested in my eye color.

They were vague clues, and I couldn't be mad at myself for not seeing them. But I wished I had. I wondered to myself if Mathias knew what he'd done, if he knew that he'd almost gotten me killed. Probably not, to be truthful.

He listened to Berwald, who had finally convinced the manager to let him go, and piped up.

"I need to go too." He announced, and the manager looked at him incredulously. "This involves me too." He explained. Berwald had clearly worn the man down, for he threw his arms up and stormed off to his office.

And so, five minutes later, we were walking to our house. None of us spoke until we were inside, and not until we'd all gathered in the kitchen. Lukas sat down at the island, and I would have griped at him for stealing Berwald's seat, but I could tell he was exhausted, both mentally and physically. I was too. But, not wanting to be too close to the Hunter, I leaned against Berwald for support.

Mathias was the first to speak.

"So, what the hell is going on?" He asked. The rest of us sighed, displaying varying degrees of annoyance.

"I'm goin' to take a chance an' guess this is yer gues'?" Berwald replied, nodding towards Lukas. Mathias nodded. "Well, he jus' tried to kill Tino." He said simply. Lukas cringed, and Mathias blinked owlishly.

"He... What?" He demanded, looking at Lukas now. The one in question sighed.

"I told you I am a Hunter. You never asked what I hunted. I hunt Violet-Eyed Mer." He explained, pointing to me. Mathias looked my way this time, into my eyes, then back to Lukas.

"You... You hunt people?" He questioned. Lukas nodded.

"They are considered less by the Mer people, but yes." He agreed.

"And... Tino is a Mer too?" He inquired, looking at me doubtfully.

"Yes." I supplied, lacing my fingers with Berwald's.

He took several seconds to go over this new information, eyes darting between Lukas and I, until he finally came to his conclusion, horror taking his expression.

"So... All this time that you've been going on about this person you had to find, it was Tino?" He asked, and Lukas nodded. "And... You wanted to find him... To kill him?" Again, a nod.

Mathias made a noise, turning to me.

"I... Shit, I'm so sorry! I had no idea that he was a murderer!" He cried. "I just thought he was looking for a relative or something! Jesus! I'm an accomplice!" He groaned, throwing an exasperated look at Lukas who only huffed.

"It's my job." He said, likely hoping to defend himself, though it was making no one feel better.

"But, you're still alive." Mathias pointed out, looking at me. "So what happened?"

And we filled him in. We had to explain a lot, about me, about Emil, about Violet-Eyes. I wasn't sure he completely had a grip on it when we finished, but he'd done his best. He had, not very discreetly, scooted closer to Berwald and I while we recounted the story.

When everyone was up to speed, it was agreed that we all needed to sleep. But we still couldn't trust Lukas, so Berwald refused to let him go home with Mathias. Feeling guilty, Mathias offered to help us watch him, and we set them up in the living room after moving the egg to our own room. For the first time, Berwald locked the bedroom door before he wrapped his arms around me, massaging my tired muscles and cooing to me about how much he loved me, and how glad he was that we were both alive. And I returned the sentiment as long as I could, eventually nodding off to a soft murmur that I didn't really hear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you guys the climax was coming. Practically everything has been revealed! But there are a couple more chapters to come, so hang in there guys. Almost there, I promise!  
> A lot of people had already guessed about Lulu. In fact, I bet pretty much all of you guys did. But Emi was a surprise, right? You have to give me that one! Please? I thought I was doing a pretty good job of hiding his identity.
> 
> Today in the 'Author's life' segment, we shall talk about my current cosplay project. I mentioned before that I'm doing Anna from Frozen. I get that Frozen isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I'm super excited about this one. I'm really excited to play with kids, like, you don't even understand! I've got my cloak cut out and ready to sew, and I've started working on the skirt as well. I unfortunately don't think I'll get it done in time for my next convention, so I probably won't debut it till April. But I also wanted to mention that I'll be at Planet Comicon this year. If you're going, you should say hi! I'll be working with D20, but I can spare a few minutes to chat, if you'd like to talk for a bit!  
> Alright, I shall leave it at that for now! Hope you guys are doing well, and please leave a review or comment if you have the time. I eat them, did you know?
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	15. Chapter 15

It took a whole day to convince Berwald to let me go. He kept trying to come up with reasons why I shouldn't go, but I eventually convinced him that I'd be just fine, and that I wanted to go. I'd been worrying about Emil the whole time I was with Berwald anyway, so it would ease my worries to see him, alive and well. And, even if I didn't owe a thing to Lukas, Emil was my friend, the only one I'd really had until I'd been scooped out of the ocean, and he deserved to know that his brother wanted to see him.

When I did finally convince him, he got his fishing equipment ready, then locked Lukas up in the only room we had without windows, Mathias diligently keeping an eye on the door. He promised to stay put, and I was inclined to believe him, considering the favor I was doing him. He'd never find Emil without me, no matter how he searched. I'm sure he knew that too.

But I really wasn't too worried anymore. He'd quickly mellowed out, and it turned out he wasn't terrible company, like I'd expected. Awkward, sure, but not terrible. He and I had things in common that we could talk about, things that no one else would understand. We could speak of life under the water, and of the creatures that dwelled there, without any confusion or need to explain our lifestyle.

Sometimes we'd find ourselves slipping into the old Mer tongue, and would only realize when Berwald gave us a pointed look. I think he might have been a little jealous. Then again, maybe he was just worried for my safety, seeing as, only a day ago, Lukas was trying to kill me. I had to keep reminding myself that.

Still, it was getting hard to hold the grudge. I got the feeling he had a reason for what he did. Maybe not a good one, but a reason is a reason. With enough conversation, I could probably get it out of him, too. But first thing's first; Retrieving Emil.

Berwald brought us to the same cliff where he'd first caught me, and we took a moment to silently reminisce. Then he found us a small cove, and helped me scale down the Cliffside. He checked to make sure that no one was around, then I slipped into the water, sitting near the shore. It seemed to take forever for my tail to form, much longer than it used to.

It scared me to think that I was becoming more human. I hadn't really been paying attention, but now that I thought of it, the amount of time it took to change from legs to my tail had grown, while going from a tail to legs had shrunk. And I hadn't been able to breathe water as easily in my human form lately. I hated to admit it, but I was more human than Mer now.

But I knew better than to be sad about it. I'd already accepted that I'd be living pretty much the rest of my days as a human. And it wouldn't be a bad existence; I'd live with Berwald, whom I loved, and a child that we were going to have soon. And now it would seem that Emil might be a part of my life again. My family was growing, and I was safe as a human. It wasn't a bad life.

Yet, even as I thought that, I had to admit, it felt wonderful to be in the ocean again. I was, in fact, excited to start swimming. It had been so long since I'd been in my home, and it felt so immediately right, I couldn't help but feel a ripping in my heart. I knew, I knew that I'd have to leave it again. And I knew that I wouldn't see Berwald again if I didn't. I knew what choice I'd make in the end, and already I missed the vast blueness that I'd grown up in. It's where I was meant to be, yet I'd leave it behind once again. Love makes us do crazy things.

Berwald was scared. I could tell. I was worrying him, because he knew how much I missed the ocean. But he didn't say anything, even as I slipped under the water after a kiss. I could see his blurry form standing at the shore from under the water, and I offered him a silent promise that I'd be back. He trusted me, and I wasn't going to betray that trust.

It took me a while to orient myself. Nothing looked familiar at first, but I remembered that I'd been nearby when Berwald saved me, so I started traveling along the cliff, following it till I spotted a reef that I recognized. From there, it was relatively simple. Creatures change, but the ocean never really does. I passed the place that Lukas had caught me the first time, swimming much faster as I went through, as if my memory of him might catch me again.

I found it a little strange though. I wasn't as scared as I used to be when I was in open water. Maybe being safe for so long had made me more courageous. Maybe it had made me more careless. Regardless, moving with purpose instead of caution was much faster, and I was nearing the caves before I even realized.

They loomed big and dark, and it dawned on me how inhospitable a place I'd occupied most of my life. Even before I'd approached, I felt some sense of fear welling up in my stomach. They used to be welcome safety, but now they only left me with a feeling of being stifled, of loneliness.

But I was a Mer with a mission, and, after checking to make sure no one was around to see me, I swam closer. I had to wait for my eyes to adjust after entering, then I followed the opening all the way to the back. It was a fake cave, to throw off anyone who might think to check. I pulled aside the boulder covering our actually caves with more than a little effort. I nearly gave up, actually, but it finally budged, and I sighed with relief.

That was cut short though, as I was quickly yanked through, and found myself at the sharp end of more than a few weapons. Thank goodness my eyes go wide when I'm surprised, for they saw the color and at least held back on stabbing me, for the time being.

After some scrutinizing, a few of them started to recognize me, and a buzzing of conversation began to fill the space, my name on most lips. I let them all take it in for a moment, then started scanning the crowd, looking for white hair.

"Please," I began, turning to the first person I recognized. "I need to see Emil."

It took a while, and I had to answer several questions, but eventually Emil was pulled to the forefront of the room, and I smiled with relief. He was visibly surprised to see me, but I didn't let him look for too long, wrapping him up in an embrace. He was thin, but alive.

Apparently the others grew bored with my sudden reappearance, for they left us alone, most going back to trying to scrape up some kind of food. Emil pulled away, looking at me curiously.

"I've been so worried about you!" I exclaimed, running my fingers through his hair fondly. He rolled his eyes, batting my hand away. I only smiled. Still experiencing teenage rebellion, it would seem. He gave me a look that told me that I wasn't the one who should have been worrying.

"I have a lot I need to tell you about." I admitted, pulling him back toward the bed we used to share. He followed closely, and got comfortable.

"I don't know what story they told about me, but the day I disappeared, I'd gone in search of food. I got tired of being starving, and I left the feeding ground." I began. He gave me an exasperated look, which I waved off. "I know it was a stupid idea. And I got caught, by a Hunter."

His eyes went wide, and I could feel several new pairs of eyes on me. But I devoted my attention to him.

"He was taking me somewhere, probably the castle. But a shark caught our scent, and attacked, and I managed to escape, but the Hunter was hot on my tail. He was just about to catch me when I swam into a net." I continued, and he gasped, eyes going even wider.

"The net went up, and a human was on the other side. I thought I was going to die all over again. But he didn't kill me. He brought me to his home, and he let me stay there with him." I explained, smiling fondly as I thought of Berwald. "And I… Well, we fell in love." I admitted breathlessly.

Emil's expression didn't reveal his thoughts, and I imagined he was having a tough time wrapping his mind around the thought of a human and Mer loving one another. It was unheard of, truly; Mer knew only that they should fear humans.

"I know, it is hard to believe. But truly, I love him." I promised, not giving him much time to take that in, continuing with my story.

"Anyway, I've been living with him ever since. And it was fantastic until just two days ago." I said, biting my lip. This was going to be the hardest part.

"Um… Do you remember your brother?" I asked. "You used to talk about him when you were younger."

He furrowed his brows, his face clearly wary of whatever I was trying to say.

"Well, uh, he's still alive. And, um… Well, he's the Hunter that caught me." I offered, watching carefully for his reaction. First he looked stunned, then disbelieving, then angry. "Emil, please, I wouldn't lie about this. It's really him. His name is Lukas, and he described you, I promise. He knew your name."

He still didn't look convinced, but he waited for me to finish.

"He… He wants to see you. He thought you were dead all of this time. That's why I came back." I finished, bringing a nail to my teeth to chew at nervously. I let him process it all, keeping quiet while he picked apart each piece of my story, thought through it carefully. I tried to ignore the number of Mer that were staring at me now, but it was getting hard. Had they really eavesdropped on my entire tale? I suppose they didn't have anything better to do.

I watched his face, waiting till he seemed to have come to his decisions. He had to decide a lot after all; if he was going to trust me, if he was going to believe that I was real, that I was alive, that humans weren't evil, that his brother was alive, was a hunter, wanted to see him for any purpose other than to kill him. I spoke meekly.

"Will you come?" I asked. It felt like a long time before he responded, but finally, a small nod of his head.

I heaved a sigh of relief, a smile coming to my lips. But honestly, I shouldn't have been so surprised. Anything was better than being trapped in those stagnant cave waters. We both took a moment to look around the cave for what was probably the last time, then we headed for the entrance.

The Violet-Eyes standing guard regarded us for a long moment, and I was fearful that they wouldn't let us go. But I knew better. Even if we died, it was two less mouths to feed, so they wouldn't really care in the end, so long as their hideout wasn't found.

Sure enough, they moved the boulder aside for us, and we slipped through together. I led the way out of the cave, Emil much more cautious than me. He actually stopped when we reached the edge of the feeding grounds, and I had to coax him back to my side. Still, his eyes darted every which way, body tense and movements timid.

As I led him forward, I began singing a lullaby, albeit quietly. It was one I used to sing when he had trouble sleeping, and I was glad to see it still put him at ease, even if only a little.

It took much longer to get back, since I was moving slower with Emil, but it went without a hitch. I found the cliff again, and began following it. I must have seemed entirely insane to Emil, but finally I caught sight of what I was looking for; Berwald had tied one of my Moomin mugs to a bit of fishing wire so that I'd know where to surface. I came up to it with a grin and tugged, then swam up and let my head break the surface. I could just barely see his head peeking over the cliff, and he gestured for me to continue along the cliff.

I followed it until I saw the first beach, and I smiled behind me at Emil.

"Okei, this is where we get out. Um, I just want to warn you, Berwald can look a little scary. Oh, Berwald is the human I've been living with. Anyway, his face is a little… Uh, well, anyway, the point is that he's actually super nice, so don't be scared. Now let's hurry. We've been really lucky so far, I don't want to get caught when we're so close." I rambled, taking his hand and pulling him forward. I'd be damned if I brought him this far just for him to swim away.

I breathed in the air as soon as my head broke the surface, finding I was relieved instead of sad to be out of the water. I made sure Emil was still with me, then dragged myself up onto the beach of the little cove from earlier. Berwald called to me from where he was climbing down the cliff, and I called back, helping Emil pull himself out of the water.

Berwald made quick work of getting to me, and forgoing the fact that I was still soaking wet, he practically knocked me over with a hug. After catching the breath he knocked out of me, I laughed.

"Did you miss me?" I wondered, returning the embrace.

"Yes." He breathed, kissing my hair. I decided not to mention that I knew that he had been more than a little scared that I wouldn't ever come back. He probably spent all of the hours apart pacing along the cliff, worrying his lip between his teeth and scaring the passing forest animals.

When he finally let me go, I gestured over to Emil.

"This is Emil. Emil, this is Berwald." I introduced, smiling. Emil looked properly wary, but at least he wasn't turning tail and flopping back into the water.

"Nice to meet ya." Berwald offered, nodding in his direction. Emil returned the gesture silently.

We waited in the sand until my legs had formed, Emil still entirely Mer when I had made the full change. So my theory had definitely been right, I was changing into a human faster. I put it from my mind as I put some clothes on.

It was too risky to hang out with a beached Mer, so Berwald climbed up the cliff and lowered one of his fishing nets, and I helped Emil into it, then Berwald hooked it to his metal monstrosity, and slowly began pulling him up, me holding onto the net as I climbed to make sure that he didn't hit anything on the way up. It was slow going, but eventually we got all three of us over the cliff and into the wheeled monstrosity.

I sat in the back with Emil, hoping to keep him calm. Just like me, he was more than a little uncomfortable with the ride, and even my singing didn't do much to sooth him. But it was a mercifully short ride, and we were back at the house.

We all lingered in the car for a long moment, and Emil looked at me, his face showing uncertainty for the first time. I tried to smile reassuringly, petting his hair. Berwald went inside to get a blanket to cover Emil with so that we could carry him in without anyone seeing his tail. I took the moment to try and placate him, kissing his temple and squeezing his fingers.

"It'll be alright, I promise. He's really not so bad, for a Hunter." I mused. "After he finished trying to kill me, he turned out to be rather nice company." I offered, grinning. He managed a small, nervous smile. Then Berwald was back, and we wrapped him up in the fabric, Berwald heaving him up into his arms, me hot on his heels.

When we got inside, Berwald put him down on the couch. Mathias, who had been sitting in front of the door to the storage room looking entirely bored out of his mind, got up and joined us in the room, checking out the new occupant with interest. Emil eyed him warily, and I wondered for a moment if he was mistaking Mathias for Lukas, but his face quickly grew bored, so apparently not.

Mathias introduced himself, but his words were cut short as Berwald pulled the blanket away, revealing Emil's tail. He looked at it with awe, and I was reminded that he'd never seen any of us as Mer, so this was his first time. Still, I could tell he was making Emil uncomfortable with his staring, so I nudged him. He took the hint, staring a little more discreetly, at least.

Berwald and I both rushed to check on the egg, glad to see that there weren't any changes, and no knocking sounds, so we had a while yet to wait, it would seem.

With that in order, I sat down next to Emil, brushing fingers through his hair again and leaning in close to his ear to speak, and I spoke in our tongue when I did.

"Are you ready?" I asked. He took a deep breath, but nodded. I smiled at him, hoping that I looked encouraging. I gave his hand one last squeeze, then got up, heading to the room we'd locked Lukas in. I opened it slowly, going inside and closing it behind me.

Lukas looked up at me, eyes wide and hopeful, but also fearful. I gave a small smile.

"He's here, but I wanted to warn you." I started, making sure I had his attention. "Emil hasn't spoken a word in years. Maybe he'll speak to you, but try not to be disappointed if he doesn't." I plead, taking a breath. Lukas nodded quickly, walking to me with haste.

"Please." He breathed, eyes wide, brows drawn. He looked young. I nodded, biting my lip and taking one last breath before I opened the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Gosh guys, what can I even say? I'm sorry for the wait, but I'm sure you're tired of hearing that. I've had a bit of a SuFin slump, it would seem, and I therefore had some trouble sitting down for this update. But, at last, here it is~! I hope some of you guys are still hanging on!
> 
> We're getting closer and closer to the end. It's hard to put an estimate on it, but maybe about three more chapters, give or take? I'm bad at estimating, and usually end up dragging it out longer than I plan to. But we'll see. Things are getting wrapped up now, for the most part.
> 
> So, how do you guys think that the brotherly reunion is going to go? I'm looking forward to it~! I'm glad to finally have all the Nordics together. It does my heart good.
> 
> In other news, some of you might have already seen, but I did a PruCan oneshot! It's a bit fishy, if you know what I mean. Kind of mertastic. So if you like PruCan, or my writing, or merpeople, you should go check it out. It's called White Waters.
> 
> And now I must return to preparing for a convention. Anime St. Louis is next month. No rest for the weary, or so they say. Oh, speaking of, I've started doing beadsprites. (Like, with perler beads) I'm just curious, how should I sell them? As keychains, magnets, etc.? Any ideas?
> 
> Alright, thanks as always for reading, and reviews/comments are always appreciated!
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	16. Lukas' Interlude

-.-.- Lukas' Interlude -.-.-

My job goes against everything I stand for. I kill those that I cherish the most, deep in my heart. Yes, I have one, shriveled and tiny as it may be, it still beats. A Violet-Eyes was born into my very own family, a stain upon our heritage. As soon as I saw his cursed eyes, my brother should have been dead to me. I knew the rules. Mother knew the rules. But how could we, needy and soft-hearted, leave him to such a fate? A babe as adorable as was possible, cooing at us lovingly, ceaselessly seeking our attention, sucking at our fingers sweetly... It was more than impossible.

So, instead of following the laws of our people, we rushed into hiding. We relocated to a small, secluded area and never took my precious brother outside. He grew to be five, old enough to speak, old enough to know his name, to know mine, to call it cheerfully every time I returned to the home he was never allowed to leave. Old enough to feel fear, to recognise pain, to experience a broken heart.

How he was discovered, I still do not know. All I knew was that, as I swam into our home, there were four very unfamiliar men inside. But I did not need to know them, for I knew their title. These were the ones we were trying so desperately to avoid, to protect my beloved from. These were the Hunters, the enemy.

My mother sobbed pathetically, cradling my stunned brother to her bosom, doing her best to shield him from the men. They took no notice of me, and I was in a state of such disbelief that I was unable to so much as breathe, let alone speak.

They shouted ugly words, demanded that mother relinquish the child, prodded at her ribs painfully with their sharpened sticks. I could taste the blood in the water, could see where her wounds bled, yet she still didn't yield. They became angrier, their prodding becoming true stabbing. She cried miserably as she was punctured repeatedly, as her blood dyed the water in our home red.

Her body could only take so much, and, with one final sob, she left it, going limp, her face twisted in an agonized death. The men didn't miss a beat, seemingly unfazed by their murder. One of them reached forward, taking my brother by the hair, yanking him away from the dead mother he was frantically clinging to. His yelp of pain was what finally made me move, though I wasn't even aware of it.

I rushed at one of them, but I was too small to do any actual damage. He gasped, but quickly regained himself, and shoved me away roughly. I screamed, knocking into him again, this time with even less effect. Another one of the men grabbed me by my arms, pulling me away from his partner. I thrashed wildly, trying to kick away from him, to no avail.

He commanded me to cease my movements, to stop wasting time, lest I wish to end up like my mother. I shrieked with rage, struggling as fiercely as I could manage, and finally freed an arm. I used it to draw my brother to me, held him closely, tightly, my fingers turning white where they squeezed him. He too clung to me, sobbing in fear.

The men growled, one pulling at me, another at my brother, struggling to separate us. I held on as tightly as I could, but it was not enough. The men were, simply, much stronger than two children who's combined age was likely not even half of the youngest Hunter's. I heard a loud cracking sound, then felt an immense pain shoot through my body, resonating from my shoulder. I relinquished my grip with an agonized yelp, bringing my hand to my shoulder. The action only made another wave of pain course through me, a sob forcing its way out.

My brother wailed, bringing my eyes to him once again; His arms outstretched, fingers reaching for me desperately. But I was much too late. One of the hunters had already ensnared him with his arms, and was dragging him out of our home. What was I thinking, releasing him for even a second? I tried to follow, but another held me back, snatching the arm that was paining me so. I shrieked, crumbling to the floor, cradling my shoulder, sobbing morosely.

I knew I had lost. I was too debilitated, and these men were too strong, too cruel. They all followed behind the one dragging my still screaming brother, only one lingering behind. He warned me not to follow, or I would see yet another gruesome sight, and I would not be spared. His piece said, he kicked his tail in my face, sending me backwards. I landed painfully, but could only muster a loud whine.

And they were gone. After only a few seconds, I ceased to hear my brothers cries. He was, like my mother, lost to me. Only I remained.

I screamed his name, over and over. No response.

And I howled, wailed in anguish. I pulled at my hair, kicked my tail at the ocean floor, sobbed until I was sick. I cradled my dead mother to me, wept precious pearls into her hair until no more came out. I bit my lips until they bled, then bit into my fingers until they did the same.

I was found a few days later, my head resting on my mother's long-lifeless stomach, nearly dead from starvation. My shoulder was garishly dislocated, and never truly managed to heal. It still causes me problems if I twist my arm the wrong way, or if I am hit in the shoulder too hard.

I was a shell of myself for many a year after that. But, eventually, my constant fear and remorse shifted into a bitter hatred. A hatred for what, I wasn't sure. At first, it was definitely for the Hunters, the heartless men that had taken my brother away from me. However, as I was frequently reminded, they were only doing their job. Perhaps it is a bit warped, but, unable to fight against the majority rule, I began to hate the eyes that had sentenced my beloved brother to an untimely death. God damn it, why did he have to be born with such accursed eyes?

And, as my bitterness ate away at me, I began to hate all those with the same trait. What right had they to remain alive if my brother could not? Was he not worthy of survival? He was more worthy than any of the low-life scum that hid in the darkest of coral reefs. How dare they survive? How dare they!

And that is how I find myself doing something loathsome. Killing those who I was once exactly like, ripping apart families that were fruitlessly trying to secret away their precious, cursed kin.

Emil, if he had somehow lived to see this, would be mortified. He wouldn't speak to me. He would leave me, never return, hate me. But he isn't alive, and it doesn't matter anymore. Nothing matters anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had this saved for a very long time, actually, and was never sure where it would fit. I decided that this would be the best place for it though. In my opinion, it's important to get into Lukas' mind, at least as far as his occupation is concerned. Because I'm sure that everyone can agree, it's hard to see Lukas as a cold-blooded killer without a reason behind it. And so I wanted to explain his reason in his words.
> 
> I hope it gave you guys some insight, at least. And look forward to chapter 16 soon! It's already written, believe it or not. But I'm going to wait just a little while before posting. Maybe a couple of weeks. Better than a month or two, right?
> 
> This is also kind of a "sorry" for the long wait for chapter 15. I hit a bit of SuFin block, and was having trouble with it. But I'm back on track now, thank you for holding on!
> 
> With that, I bid you adieu~!
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	17. Chapter 17

It was silent for a long time. Lukas had rushed out of the room, but he froze as soon as Emil was in sight. And Emil didn't move, only stared from where we'd left him on the couch. Even Mathias kept his mouth closed as the brothers looked each other up and down, eyes trained only on each other, as if they were oblivious to all those around them.

I couldn't blame them, of course. This was a lot for both of them to take in, to say the very least. For Lukas, this was the peak of the excitement that had been building up over the past couple of days. For Emil, this was a surprise that I thrust him into only that day. Either way, it was a lot for them to deal with.

Finally, Lukas went forward, and he fell to his knees in front of Emil, looking up at him for a long time. Just as I thought he might lean in for a hug, we were all startled by a sudden crack, loud enough that Berwald, Mathias, and I all jumped. Lukas, on the other hand, fell over, cradling his face.

I looked to Emil with horror, watching him shake the hand he'd just punched his brother with, face set in a heavy scowl. I was about to question his actions when Lukas got back up, a few pearls falling to the floor as he checked to make sure his nose wasn't broken. And they hugged.

I was perturbed, but chose not to comment. I guess he needed to get it out of the way before they could really start making up for lost time. It was at least comforting that he'd accepted the hug, and now it seemed doubtful that we'd be separating them any time soon. Both was trying, and utterly failing, to hide the pile of pearls they were crying, and I sighed, going for a broom.

Berwald followed me into the kitchen, and before I even had a chance to reach for the needed utensil, he had me pressed against a wall, lips pressed against mine in a sort of desperate kiss. I was surprised, but let him hold me there, lifting my arms up to rest on his shoulders for better balance.

I was out of breath by the time he pulled away, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I'm sorry, Berwald." I breathed, nuzzling into the side of his neck. "I didn't mean to worry you." I promised, letting my voice taper off into soft singing, which seemed to calm him down. Once he was himself again, and we were slowly swaying from side to side, I let the melody fall away.

"I'm not going anywhere." I swore, giving him a kiss before returning to my task of getting the broom. He got out the dustpan and followed me into the living room again.

Sure enough, the brothers were still tightly wrapped around each other, Mathias looking more than a little awkward, clearly unsure of what he should be doing in that situation. He seemed relieved when Berwald and I returned. I sighed, putting the broom aside and joining the brothers on the couch, clearing my throat to get their attention.

They both looked at me, eyes red rimmed, and I smiled softly. At least pearls weren't falling anymore.

"I'm glad the two of you are together again, but we have some things we need to discuss now." I pointed out. It felt strange that I had to be the one to say it, but so be it. I was in their situation recently, being a Mer in the human world. I felt like I needed to play big brother for the both of them now.

"We need to figure out where you'll be staying." I began, glancing over at Berwald and Mathias. "Up until now, Lukas has been staying with Mathias, but I don't know how he feels about that now."

Everyone turned to look at Mathias now, and he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I-I uh… I don't really mind. As long as you aren't planning on murdering anyone or something, you aren't a terrible housemate or anything." He shrugged, flashing Lukas a grin. The blonde in question rolled his eyes, and hugged his brother closer to him.

"I come with Emil, now." He announced, and Emil's eyes widened, looking at me. Years of communicating with him, mute or not, had taught me that he was unsure about this proclamation.

"Um…" I hesitated, giving Emil a sympathetic glance. "Maybe he should stay with Berwald and I for a few days?" I suggested softly.

Lukas narrowed his eyes and threw me a withering glare before I could even blink, and I couldn't help but flinch.

"It's just that, uh, you know, he's more used to me, and it would be a good idea for him to be around someone familiar while he adjusts to the human world, and, you know, he's mute and has a hard time communicating, but I've gotten pretty good at figuring out what he means, and… Um…" I stuttered, looking for help from any of the others in the room. Lukas was still glaring.

Emil tapped his shoulder, earning his attention, and they shared something of a silent conversation, then Lukas sighed.

"Fine." He agreed, albeit begrudgingly. "If I can visit every day." He added. My smile was forced, but I agreed. At least he wasn't asking to live with us.

"Sure. And when he gets settled in better, he can move in with you, if he wants." I suggested, this time earning a look from Mathias. "Uh, and if Mathias says it's okei."

Lukas shot Mathias a look, and the man quickly turned sheepish, nodding.

With that decided, we got Lukas settled on the physical couch, next to Emil, and Berwald and I cleaned up the pearls, heading for the kitchen to put the utensils away and start on dinner. Berwald wouldn't admit it, but he was pleased to have so many people to cook for. Truth be told, he liked cooking, no matter how much he denied it.

He asked me to help though, since there was a lot of food to made. Five people! That was more than double what we usually cooked for! I wondered what we should make, since it would be Emil's first time eating something cooked. It dawned on me that he was likely starving, and that he was going to have to get used to an abundance of food just like I had.

Berwald seemed to have taken Emil into account, as he made salmon for the main dish. I smiled, having learned that it was one of his best dishes, and I was getting more excited for dinner than any of our guests, I'm sure.

But when he shooed me out of the kitchen following me spilling half of the pasta on the floor, I found Emil looking pretty interested in the smell coming from the adjacent room. I smiled, ruffling his hair as I sat on the arm of the couch. His tail was finally starting to take the shape of legs, which seemed to be providing endless fascination and uncertainty for him.

"We're going to eat soon." I informed him, raking his hair back a few times while I spoke. He batted my hands away moodily, but I could see the excitement welling up in his eyes at the mention of food. It warmed me up from the inside out. I hadn't even realized how much I missed Emil until I saw him again.

"I know it's exciting, but make sure you take it slow at first, or you'll make yourself sick. Have you been eating well since I left?" I wondered, pursing my lips. It took a while, and all he gave me was a shrug. That made me frown. "I figured as much. I'm sorry I left you alone for so long." I murmured, hanging my head. I should have come for him sooner. I should have come for him as soon as I was sure Berwald was safe. I should have come for him without prompting. I should have thought of him every day.

He grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze, and I looked up to see a reassuring gaze. I sighed, nodding.

"At least you're here now." I decided, leaning over to hug him, ignoring his weak protests. The obviously jealous glare that Lukas gave me got me to back off though, and I headed back towards the bedroom instead, looking through my clothes until I found something that might fit Emil.

It took a lot of arguing and some force to get the t-shirt over his head, and he looked none-too-pleased with me, but I explained to him that all humans wore clothes. I didn't mention that I still tried to break that rule myself, laying the shorts and underwear on the arm next to him, for when he finished changing. The bottom of his fins had just started splitting, so he still had a while yet.

With that in order, I headed over to Hanatamago's tank, saying hello and dropping a few flakes of food in for her. She ate them quickly, and I giggled when she nipped at my finger, as if I might provide her more that way. I guess she's smart, because I did just that, dropping a few extra flakes in just for the affection.

After that, I returned to the aquarium holding the egg, looking down at it expectantly, as if the occupant might come out faster if only I willed it to be so. Granted, I had a lot on my plate already, seeing as Emil was staying with us now, but still, I was anxious to meet my child.

Berwald called us to dinner, so I left the egg with a look of contempt, almost daring it not to hatch soon. Still, I knew, and it probably knew, that I would wait forever for it to hatch.

Lukas and I made a team effort of hauling Emil into the kitchen, sitting him down at the table. I gave him a little blanket to cover his lap, then we all joined him, Berwald bringing all the food to the table and serving it plate by plate. I heard him grumbling as he finished with Mathias' plate.

"Never though' Ah'd have ya at mah table…"

I smiled at him as he took a seat next to me, kissing his cheek before beginning my meal. Emil watched me with confusion, looking at the food longingly, but unable to grasp the fork correctly. Thankfully for him, Lukas hadn't quite mastered it either, so at least he wasn't alone.

I took a moment to show him, and to help him position it correctly. Even so, he was having a hard time of it, only one bite having made it to his lips out of his five or so attempts.

"It's alright if you need to use your hands." I assured him, helping him clean his lap up. "I had to at first too." I added.

He seemed relieved, and set the fork aside, eating becoming instantly easier for him with the aid of his fingers. I was actually surprised by how quickly he scarfed it down, but I had to remind myself that I'd done the same, and that he had been starving this whole time that I'd been so well fed. I got him seconds myself.

After dinner, it was starting to get dark, but we could all tell that Lukas was loath to leave. After a bit of awkwardly shuffling our feet, we decided to let him stay over, and built a bed on the floor with a huge pile of blankets. Mathias said his goodbye, promising to come for Lukas in the morning. With that sorted out, we got the two of them settled in, after I forced Emil into some pants. He fought me on that more than the shirt, but lost thanks to his inexperience with his new limbs.

We situated Emil up on the couch, with Lukas on the floor right next to him. I wished them both good night, kissing Emil's forehead before I headed back to the bedroom, heaving a sigh as I sat on the edge of the bed. Berwald was already lying down, flipping through a book, which he put down as I joined him in the room.

He sat up, pulling me closer so he could give me a little massage, working out the tension building in my shoulders. I sighed, this time with relief, leaning forward so he had better access.

"Wha's the matter?" He wondered softly, kissing my shoulder. I couldn't help a small smile, leaning back until I was resting against his chest. He took a moment to tug me up and pull me under the covers, then he wrapped his limbs around mine, squeezing me to him for a moment.

"Nothing, I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed." I admitted. "A lot is happening all at once."

He kissed my neck, then my cheek, and I giggled.

"Oh, stop that, I'm trying to be serious!" I wailed, laughing despite my words as he ran fingers up my sides.

"It'll be alrigh'." He promised, kissing my cheek again. "Jus' take it one day at a time." He suggested, laying down and taking me with him. I blew out a huff of air, my bangs flying up for a moment, looking orangey in the lamplight.

"What should we do about Emil? Is it really okei if he stays here?" I asked, turning to look at him fearfully. He rolled his eyes, flicking my nose. It wasn't much of a surprise though, because he didn't have his glasses on, and missed the first time he tried.

"It's fine, Tino. Babysitter." He replied, pulling me closer. I laughed, snuggling into his side as he reached over to turn the light off.

"But what if he eats a lot?" I wondered. This time he scoffed, pulling the cord and plunging us into darkness.

"Jus' have to cook Hanatamago." He suggested.

"She is getting a little chubby." I agreed, giggling. He kissed my nose, then my lips, rolling over to his side so he could hold me better.

"Love ya, Tino." He murmured, kissing my cheek one last time. I hummed.

"I love you too." I cooed back, getting cozy. He rubbed my arm for a long time, finger not stilling till he'd fallen asleep. I was still awake though, albeit barely. Just enough that I could hear whispering coming from the living room, and I smiled. At least Emil was with me again, and he'd even gotten to reunite with his brother. That was something. And that egg had to hatch sooner or later. Oh, right, I needed to think of names. I'd have to remember to talk about that with Berwald in the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter up! There aren't many chapters left. Maybe… Two? And an Epilogue. We're just winding it down now. Anyway, thanks for sticking with it, and I hope you'll all see this story through to the end! It would make me happy!
> 
> ASTL was fun! I made a bunch of new friends, which is rare for me. I'm painfully shy, so I rarely talk much at conventions. But I was working the D20 Girl table, so talking to people is kind of a requirement. Wearing Aoba got me a lot of attention, actually! I was the only DMMD cosplayer, or so everyone told me. Quite a few people hung out to talk for a few minutes, or to take pictures. I even got a few people to draw for me!
> 
> But now I'm home, and must get back to work! I've decided to start posting one of the JeanMarco fics that I'm working on. I've got about three that are roughly 4 chapters each, but I forced myself to make a decision, and the modernishAU won out in the end. So if you like JeanMarco, I suggest you keep an eye out! I'll be posting it soon!
> 
> Other than that, I haven't much to say! I must get back to work on the aforementioned JeanMarco story! Ooooh, right! Frozen Heart update! Sorry it took so long, but Tora got super busy! My chapter will be up in about a week or so, I'd say. But make sure to go read hers! She worked hard!
> 
> Alright, thanks for reading, and feedback is always appreciated!
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	18. Chapter 18

I woke up to a noise I was entirely unfamiliar with. At first, my mind didn't even register it. Sleepy as I was, I thought it was just Berwald talking in his sleep or something to that effect. But it continued, which Berwald never did. The most he'd say in his sleep would be a few mumbled words, maybe my name, and then he'd settle back in to peaceful sleep.

But this was persistent. And I eventually registered a soft shaking that accompanied the noise. Blearily, my eyes opened, world dark and choppy as I looked at it through my lashes and bangs. My eyes widened as the noise continued, and my mind put together that it was Lukas' voice making the noise.

My initial reaction, after that realization, was to flinch away. It was almost comical because of how delayed it was, but the first thought I always had when I saw Lukas was still 'Danger.' He had, after all, made several attempts to take away my life. How was I to be sure that he'd entirely given up on his mission? But then my eyes picked Emil out of the darkness. He was the one shaking my shoulder. That soothed my fears a bit, but then I had to wonder what they were up to.

I sat up, mind and heart now racing, and looked at them for an explanation. A glance at Berwald's alarm clock informed me that it was barely three in the morning, and I couldn't fathom what they wanted at such a strange hour.

"Wake him." Lukas urged, pointing at Berwald. I blinked, but eventually did as requested of me, gently patting his shoulder until he stirred. As if he could sense what time it was, he groaned, trying to close his eyes again. I shook him with a bit of insistence, and he finally sat up, realizing just as slowly as I had that we were not alone in the bedroom. His eyes narrowed in the direction of Lukas and Emil, and I handed him his glasses. The glare didn't go away though.

"What're ya doin' in here?" He asked gruffly, voice a bit gravelly from sleep. Emil flinched away, and I tried to show him it was alright with a small smile. Berwald took some getting used to, and Emil hadn't yet learned that Berwald was entirely made of mush on the inside. Lukas wasn't nearly as affected though, and he rolled his eyes.

"Sorry to have interrupted your sleep, but that egg you've been doting on? It's hatching soon." He announced. Again, it took us several seconds to process the information. But at almost the same time, both of us leapt up, gracelessly scrambling off the bed and rushing into the living room after fighting with the sheets and blankets.

I went immediately to the tank, but Berwald had the good sense to turn the light on, so I could actually see. Then he joined me, both of us leaning in close and holding our breath. Sure enough, a tapping noise could be heard, and my heart skipped a beat, my eyes flicking up excitedly to Berwald. He met my gaze, his expression unreadable with so many emotions.

Lukas followed behind much slower, supporting Emil who was fumbling with his new legs. They both had a seat on the couch, watching us watch the egg.

"The noise woke Emil." Lukas explained, settling himself in. "We figured you'd want to know."

I nodded, not taking my eyes off of the egg. Now that it was close to time for the creature inside to emerge, the milky color was giving way to transparency, and I could see the outline of the babe inside, struggling against the walls of its shell.

Berwald made a noise, looking at me with uncertainty.

"Should we… Help 'em?" He wondered. I shook my head quickly, smiling.

"No, they'll get out themselves. Mer babies always have. Just try to patient." I cooed. It was silly though, because I was just as anxious to have the creature out. How I wanted to hold the little thing.

Lukas sighed from the couch, getting up again and heading into the kitchen. After a few minutes, he returned with his arms full of drinks, passing them out to us. He'd apparently caught on that there would be no rest until the baby was free.

"So, do we get a story?" He wondered, blinking at us almost like he was bored. "It's been here since I first came, and I have yet to hear where you got a Mer egg in the first place." He pointed out.

Deciding it was going to be a little while, Berwald and I moved the tank to the coffee table, so we could sit and talk while still keeping an eye on it. Once we'd gotten everything set up, I began the story. I told of the Mer I'd found, of the condition she was in, of what she'd told me. Lukas' face had grown steadily more mortified, and when I finished, he hissed.

"You have the Prince's illegitimate child?" He demanded, looking at me as if I were the most ignorant creature on Earth. I frowned, nodding. "And you plan to raise it?" He inquired, voice almost a whisper, as if the wrong person might hear lest he talk too loud. Again, I nodded.

His face was incredulous, and he sat back with a deep sigh.

"Do you understand what you're doing?" He finally managed, voice calm once more.

"Raising a child?" I guessed. He groaned.

"If that child ever learns that they have a claim to the throne, and decide to take it, it would throw the entire ocean into chaos!" He growled. "An illegitimate heir? And this will be his oldest! The scandal would be enough to start a war!" He exclaimed, talking with his hands. I was surprised, never having seen much emotion from Lukas at all. But I needed to defend myself.

"What was I to do? Leave the egg to die?" I questioned, managing to return the glare. Lukas stared at me a long time, biting his lips.

"That would have honestly been best." He finally admitted.

Anger flared up in my veins, but Berwald put a hand on my shoulder to ensure I wouldn't do anything stupid. I looked to him for assistance, but he merely rubbed a pattern into my arm.

"I would never." I finally breathed. "And the child is ours now. I cannot predict what they will do in the future, but for now, they will be raised as if we conceived them ourselves." I added curtly, crossing my arms over my chest.

Another stare down ensued, but Lukas finally gave, shaking his head and sighing with defeat.

"It's your choice. Just… Be careful." He warned. "I know how the royal family thinks, what they do. Don't underestimate their cruelty." He cautioned.

I nodded, a bit of fear finding its way to my heart, but I tried to forget it, returning my attention to the egg, which had been making quite a lot of noise while we were talking. Of course, as soon as I was paying attention again, it practically stopped altogether. Berwald pulled me to his chest, holding me while we watched with rapt attention, both of us resigned to wait the little thing out.

-.-.-+-.-.-

It wasn't until four thirty in the afternoon that anything significant happened. Lukas and Emil dozed off somewhere around five or six in the morning, though Berwald and I had downed enough coffee to keep us awake, albeit shaky. Even as hours passed with little or no progress, we both refused to let our eyes close for more than a split second.

When Emil and Lukas woke around noon, we called Mathias, who came over to fetch the blonde he was housing. But Lukas insisted on staying, so Mathias ended up hanging out too, after running out to get everyone something to eat, since Berwald had no intentions of cooking. We all munched, and Lukas explained what was happening to a very confused Mathias, who quickly lit up. Apparently he liked children.

Mathias had just convinced us that turning the television on would be a good idea when there was a loud cracking noise, and the remote was promptly dropped to the ground and forgotten as we all leaned in to see the progress. There was a sizeable split in the egg, and I held my breath as a few little fingers poked out, doing their best to pry away the rest of the shell.

It was dead silent except for the muffled sounds of the egg breaking away, not even Mathias dared utter a word. And then, when the little thing finally managed to get out, we all breathed a sigh of relief, a little shaky with excitement.

The babe sank to the bottom, but was making an effort to kick its tail, little mouth open with cries that came out sounding a bit strange because of the water. I smiled gleefully, reaching in my hand and letting it sink to the bottom of the water. It seemed to notice me, but was unable to actually swim to my hand, so I scooped it up instead, bringing it closer to me, but leaving it submerged. Berwald scooted closer too, watching it with curiosity.

"Um, is it a boy, or a girl?" He asked. I giggled, looking down at the little creature.

"A boy." I supplied. He wouldn't have been able to tell for a few years if I hadn't told him. The only way we can tell the difference before puberty is by the hormones that come out of the eggs into the water when the babies hatch. Seeing as the aquarium was small, the water was full of it, making it very easy for me to tell.

Berwald smiled softly, staring intently at the little guy in my hand. I laughed, coaxing him closer.

"Don't be so nervous. Babies are sturdy. You can hold him." I offered. He fidgeted, but carefully dipped his hand in too, and I easily deposited the baby into his hand. His eyes went wide as he looked down at him, and he chanced a glance at me.

"He's little." He pointed out. I giggled, nodding.

"He'll grow quickly." I promised. "Like I said, give him a month, and he'll be the size of a normal human baby."

We sort of just sat and took turns holding him and looking at him and being generally too happy for our own good, not even minding that the little thing was crying his head off until finally Lukas cleared his throat.

"Do you have a name picked out?" He wondered. I gaped, turning to Berwald with horror.

"Oh gosh, I forgot!" I cried, running my dry hand through my hair. Berwald shrugged, the motion gentle since he was currently having his turn holding the little creature.

"We'll think of something soon." He provided, kissing my temple and rubbing my back soothingly. It calmed me down considerably, and I nodded, sighing. Lukas rolled his eyes at our antics, resting his elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand.

Mathias was looking at the aquarium with curiosity, though he seemed hesitant to move from where he'd perched himself on the edge of the couch (much to Berwald's annoyance.) I beckoned him over gently, smiling.

"You can come see, you know?"

He blinked, but approached none the less, looking down at the little creature who had dozed off in Berwald's hand. His blue eyes were wide with wonder.

"This is really amazing." He breathed, squatting down to look through the tank instead. Emil too stumbled over, holding onto the furniture as he pulled himself closer, finally taking a seat on my other side, looking at the baby with piqued interest. I smiled, taking him from Berwald and then nodding towards the tank.

Emil seemed nervous, but he too plunged his hand in, holding it as still as he could manage while I transferred the stirring babe. He blinked at him, violet eyes a bit scared but also intrigued as he felt the weight on his palm.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when the little thing started suckling on his finger, but he relaxed when he realized there were no teeth to cause him injury. I smiled, glad that he seemed to be warming up to my new baby, but I quickly got antsy, which he picked up on, returning him to my hand.

Berwald continued rubbing my back, then leaned forward to speak into my ear.

"Should we keep 'im in the 'quarium?" He asked, looking at the tank doubtfully. But I nodded.

"Until he gets bigger, yes. He's too small for us to try and raise him out of water right now. I'd rather wait till he's bigger for prolonged exposure to air." I replied. Berwald nodded, petting my hair.

"We can get a kiddy pool when he ge's bigger." He suggested. I smiled, nodding. I was in something of a dreamy state, and would have liked nothing more than to hold my son for the rest of eternity. And I did, in fact, hold him for a few more hours as Mathias, Emil, and Lukas wound down and turned the television on, finding something to watch.

Emil was so preoccupied with stealing glances at the newest member of the family that he didn't even question the moving picture box, and he came over to hold him again after an hour or so. I took that opportunity to tell Berwald that it was probably about time for a feeding, and he rushed off to get some of the substitute stuff he'd bought a few weeks ago. He called it formula.

Apparently it had the same basic ingredients as a mother's milk, and we had to hope that mer and humans were similar in that matter. If not, we might have been in a bit of a tight spot.

He returned with a small bottle, and Mathias whistled.

"Where did you even find a bottle that tiny?" He wondered. Berwald rolled his eyes, handing it to me.

"Online. They make 'em for premature babies." He explained.

I carefully brought the baby to the surface, till he was only barely submerged, then guided the bottle to his mouth, waiting patiently while he figured it out and started suckling. With him taken care of, I was able to relax a bit, sitting on the table and watching him eat with a feeling of pure bliss washing over my mind.

Berwald sat next to me, watching as well, smiling fondly when a few little bubbles came up as the baby hiccupped. Lukas helped Emil over, who watched with rapt attention. I had been joking when I'd said that Emil could babysit, but it seemed that he was more than eager to be around the little guy, watching his every move with awe and interest. If I weren't so excited to do it myself, I might have let him feed the babe.

He actually finished the bottle and I pulled it away, handing it to Berwald who took it to the kitchen for a cleaning. That taken care of, I finally let him go, and watched him slowly sink into the water.

After a few minutes of struggling, he managed to move around on his own a bit, and I smiled gleefully.

"You're going to be rowdy, I can already tell." I cooed, crossing my arms against the table and watching him dreamily.

The night passed pretty much like that, Berwald and I spellbound by the little darling, Emil cautious but curious, and Lukas and Mathias keeping a respectful distance. Around eight, Mathias decided it was time for he and Lukas to leave, and the brothers exchanged a quick goodbye hug before the two left. Emil got settled on the couch, yawning.

I took that as our cue to vacate the living room so he could sleep, and I helped Berwald carry the aquarium into our room, that way we'd be able to keep an eye on the little creature inside during the night without having to keep Emil awake. Not like I'd let him out of my sight anyway.

Once everything was set up, we crawled into bed, still watching the napping baby closely. But eventually exhaustion won out, and we dozed off without so much as a word or a clue that our eyes had shut.

-.-.-+-.-.-

I woke up to muffled crying. The sound was still new to me and it filtered a little strangely through the water, but I was up in an instant, rushing over to see what my son needed. I was almost loathe to fetch him another bottle though, for his cry was nearly as cute as he was. It was one of his sounds, and I found I adored it to no end.

When I returned with a bottle, which I'd warmed like Berwald showed me, I found the man himself standing over the tank, fingers rubbing gently at the baby's cheek. I allowed myself a fond smile, leaning against Berwald's shoulder as I handed him the bottle.

With even more care than me, he lifted the little creature up, pressing the bottle to his crying mouth. It quickly silenced as his lips closed around the bottle, getting to work on draining it. I let out a deep sigh, lips still pulled up in happiness.

"If he keeps eating like that, we'll have a chubby child on our hands." I warned, giggling. Berwald smiled as well, sparing a moment to kiss my hair.

"Ah wouldn't mind." He promised, glasses slipping down his nose. With both of his hands needed to feed the baby, I pushed them back up for him.

"What should we name him?" I wondered, bringing it back up again now that we were alone. He hummed low and deep in his throat, eyes heading to the ceiling as he considered it.

"Ah hadn't given it much though'." He admitted, sighing. "Was too excited abou' getting' him out of the egg. "

I laughed softly, nodding.

"Me too. But we'll need something to call him at some point. Are there any names you really like?" I wondered. He went silent as he thought, so I started by giving some of mine. To be honest, they were just names that I remembered hearing on television.

"Um, Dimitri, Vaughn, Tiberius, Balthazar, uh..."

Berwald gave me a look, and I pouted.

"W-What?" I demanded, earning a shake of his head.

"What have ya been watchin'? And Ah forgot that you named yer fish Hanatamago. How abou' somethin' normal?" He ventured. I scowled, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I don't see what's wrong with those names." I grumbled. He only shook his head in exasperation.

"Try thinkin' of people ya know." He suggested, pulling the empty bottle out of the water and letting the still-nameless baby resume his nap towards the bottom of the tank. I huffed, but did as he said.

"Lukas, Matthew, Emil, Mathias, Eduard, Eli, Rod… Er… Gilbert, Ludwig, Feli, Antonio, Lovi…" I trailed. Berwald sighed, pulling me closer after drying his hands off.

"Okej, it'd be weird to name him after someone you're jus' friends with." He pointed out. I nodded, burying my face in his shoulder. "Maybe we coul' name him after a family member?" He suggested. "Wha' was your father's name?"

I frowned, burying myself further into his embrace.

"I don't know. I never knew my parents." I explained. Berwald stiffened, then hugged me tighter.

"Sorry." He breathed, but I shook my head.

"It's alright, you didn't know. What about yours?" I asked. He walked me over to the bed, and we sat down together, limbs still tangled.

"Mah father's name was Henrik." He supplied. "Bu' Ah never much liked mah father." He added, biting his lip. I sighed. Well, it looked like we'd be torn up over this for a while.

"Alright, I guess we'll have to think about it for a while. Let's get back to sleep for now." I suggested, pulling him up on the bed until he was lying next to me. He wrapped his arms around my waist, holding me close as he hummed in agreement.

"Nothin' weird, Tino." He warned, closing his eyes and relaxing his muscles. I huffed again, but slid his glasses off and put them on the nightstand before letting myself follow him into slumber anyway. That argument could wait till morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, sorry for the wait guys! It's finals time for me, so it's tough to find time to work on all of my stuff. But we're toally in the homestretch now… I'd say one, MAYBE two more chapters. It depends on how much I put in the next one. So Joo, thanks for sticking this story out with me! It's been a fun story to work on, for sure.
> 
> Just a quick update: Frozen Heart is back in progress. Tora got very busy, so chapter three took a while, but I do believe we're back in action, and I just posted chapter 4 myself. You should check it out if you like frozen and have the time! It's a lot of fun to write.
> 
> If you like Shingeki no Kyojin, I just started posting a new JeanMarco story, called Take Me to the Riot. Punk!Jean is a fun Jean to write! So if you're into that, give it a read if you have the time.
> 
> Alright, I have three more stories I need to update, so off I go. Thank you, as always, for reading! If you have the time to spare, feedback is appreciated!
> 
> KuroRiya
> 
> 九六りや


	19. Chapter 19

Believe it or not, we actually fought over the name. Maybe that was mostly my fault for stubbornly insisting that Berwald's suggestions were too simple, but he was at least partially to blame, seeing as he was completely disregarding my suggestions. Apparently they were too crazy. And we were having more trouble than we would have liked to admit with compromising. Emil was no help, keeping his eyes glued to the television for most of the day. At least I got him watching the Moomins.

We'd been in the middle of making lunch when I brought it up again. After all, it'd been three days, and the poor darling still didn't have a name. Berwald sighed, resigning himself to the argument we both knew was about to ensue, and began searching his mind for some name he hadn't yet listed. There couldn't be many left, honestly.

He started listing a few, and my hands worked deftly to cut some fruits while he spoke.

"Uh… Dieter? Bjorn, Aaron, Christopher…" He trailed, having to pause. I didn't bother filling his silence with names of my own, knowing he wouldn't like any of them. "Stephen, Ivan-"

The knife made a sharp clack against the cutting board, and I narrowed my eyes, looking at him sharply.

"You would give our child that cursed name?" I demanded, pointing at him accusingly. It turned out a bit more threatening than I'd intended it to be, forgetting I had a knife in my hand, which was now pointing at his face. He put his hands up in surrender, eyes a little wide.

Before he could utter a word, the phone rang, and he backed away from me slowly, grabbing it from the charger and putting it against his ear, eyes still trained on me, though I'd lowered the knife with a huff. He greeted the person on the other line, and after a moment, his face melted into one of affection.

I watched with new interest. Berwald rarely made that face at anyone that wasn't me or the new baby. I had to wonder who was on the other side, but I waited till he'd finished his conversation, which was in a language I didn't know, before I quirked a brow at him.

"Who was that?" I asked, returning to my cutting duties. He walked over and hugged me from behind, smooching my cheek.

"Mah uncle Peter." He replied. "I used to live with him, after mah pa kicked me ou'." He elaborated. I frowned, turning to look at him over my shoulder.

"Why did he kick you out?" I demanded. Berwald, sighed, resting his chin in the crook of my neck.

"Caugh' me kissin' the neighbor boy." He offered. That was a strange reason to kick someone out. Was the neighbor boy a bad person? Well, I pretended to understand, for it was obvious that the topic was not one that Berwald liked to discuss. I nodded, turning my head to steal a quick kiss.

"Was your uncle nice?" I inquired. I heard a small chuckle.

"He was the bes'. He was really patien' with me, and we go' along. Ah try to get him to visi' every year. Maybe Ah can convince him this year, since ah've go' such a wonderful wife." He suggested. I blinked, turning in his arms and fixing him with a stern look.

"First of all, we are not married." I began, poking his chest, to little effect. "And second, I am a man!" I hissed. He only smirked, kissing me until the annoyance left my brow and I wrapped my arms around his neck, nearly knocking all of the chopped fruits to the floor.

"Ah'd like to ge' married." He breathed, and my face flushed. I'd learned, through much television watching, that humans considered marriage the ultimate show of love. It meant that you were bound to the person forever. For Mer, that was simply stated by having a mate. But for humans there was a whole ceremony, and rings, and I had to admit, I sort of wanted to do it too. It was always so beautiful on television.

"Well, let's pick a name first." I suggested with a giggle, letting him lift me onto the counter for more kisses. He sighed, pressing his forehead against mine.

"Ah should have asked uncle Peter for ideas. But then he'd have known Ah had a kid…" He mumbled. I blinked, looking up at him.

"Berwald!" I cried with excitement. He seemed to think he was in trouble, for his eyes widened, and he backed off. He realized his mistake almost immediately, but it wasn't fast enough to stop me from toppling to the floor. The best he could do was to cushion my fall with his body. I hit my head on the counter, and he let out a groan as I landed on him, but neither of us were severely injured, and we managed to sit up after a moment of whining about our injuries.

"Wha' was tha' all about?" He wondered, looking at me in exasperation. Oh, right!

"Peter!" I cooed, grinning wildly. He just looked at me like the hit to my head might have caused some damage. I sighed dramatically, putting my hands on my hips in irritation. "For the baby! We could name him after your uncle!" I explained. His face lit up with understanding, and I smiled. "You said you loved your uncle a lot, after all. Why not name him after someone you love?"

He was silent for a while, letting it process through his mind. Eventually he got up, and left the kitchen, me on his heels. We walked to where the baby was napping, and both looked down into his tank. He'd already grown about an inch and a half, and his eyelashes were pale against chubby cheeks.

"…Ya'd really name him Peter?" He asked quietly, turning to me. I nodded, smiling. I looked down at him, saying the name under my breath, making sure it fit the child before nodding again, looking up at Berwald. His eyes were alive and the colors seemed to glitter in excitement. He nodded as well, looking down at the baby, and he said the name as well.

"Peter."

As if he knew that name was his, Peter opened his eyes, looking up at the both of us for a moment before letting out a soft cry. I chuckled, picking him up and rubbing his tummy with the pad of my finger. His cries fell away to coos, and I felt affection swell in my heart, gently nudging Berwald with my shoulder.

"I think he likes the name." I suggested. Berwald agreed, his finger gently stroking the fair hair atop Peter's head.

"Ja. It's really okej?" He asked. I rolled my eyes, sighing heavily.

"Yes, Berwald, it's really alright.

He smiled that shy little awkward smile of his, wrapping his free arm around my waist and resting his head against the crown of mine, other hand busy playing with Peter's hair.

We completely forgot about lunch until several minutes after Peter had fallen asleep again, only remembering when Emil's stomach growled loud enough for us to hear. When we entered the living room, looking concerned, his cheeks went red, and he firmly stared at nothing but the television. I giggled, sitting next to him on the couch and planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Sorry, Emi, we forgot about lunch." I apologized, squeezing his fingers softly. Berwald continued on to the kitchen to finish up the forgotten meal. "But we named the baby." I confided gleefully. He finally turned to look at me, violet eyes wide.

I grinned, getting cozy and leaning my shoulder against his.

"We named him Peter. After Berwald's uncle." I announced. He blinked a few times, eyes lost somewhere in his own mind, then he turned to me with a soft smile.

"Pe…Ter." He repeated.

It took me several seconds to realize, with a start, that Emil had just spoken for what had to be the first time in years.

"O-Oh my gosh!" I exclaimed, looking at him with pure astonishment. But it quickly changed to happiness, and I nuzzled into his shoulder.

"Oh, Emil, you spoke!" I cried, literally. Pearls fell into his lap, rolling across his chest from where I cried against him. I could hear his little huff, but his hand slowly came up to pat my back in his awkward version of comfort. I blubbered hopelessly, hugging him tight until Berwald came out and quirked a brow at us.

I did my best to explain, having to stop to calm down twice before I managed to explain what happened.

Berwald offered Emil a smile as well, patting his shoulder before extracting me from him and taking me to the table, wiping my eyes with his thumbs. Emil walked himself to the table, still a bit shaky on his feet, and plopped into the chair next to me.

That got me crying again, and he buried his face in his arms, apparently too embarrassed to even look my way. I tried to stop being a baby, but didn't manage to stop crying till Berwald put the food on the table. It was too good not to eat, so I hushed up pretty quick. They both gave me amused looks, which I stuck my tongue out at.

I realized, after stuffing my face, that I should probably tell Lukas about this development. He was Emil's brother, after all. So I dialed Mathias' house phone, listening to it ring a few times before I heard a click. I was surprised to hear Lukas voice at all, but I was doubly surprised to hear it screaming at me.

"Hello?" He bellowed, making me wince.

"U-Um, Lukas, I-" I began.

"Oh, Tino?" He asked, equally as loud. I cringed.

"Yes, Lukas, it's me. But you-"

"How is Emil?" He yelled. I sighed, rubbing at my eyelids.

"That's what I'm calling about, actually, but could you-"

"What's wrong with him?" He demanded, voice still loud but now icy as well. I growled with frustration, though it came out a little higher pitched than I'd anticipated.

"Lukas! Listen to me for a second!" I shouted. Now everyone was looking at me.

"…You don't need to shout." He shouted.

I actually hit the wall in my frustration.

"Neither do you!" I hissed, biting my lip. I needed to calm down. Anger wasn't attractive on anyone. "Look, I called to tell you that Emil spoke!" I gushed quickly, trying to get it out before he started yelling again. He was quiet for a long time, and I worried he'd hung up or dropped the line, but finally, I heard him take a sharp breath.

"What?" He asked, voice a bit lower now, thank goodness.

"Yep! We decided on a name for the baby, and I told him, and he… He said it!" I chirped, grin finding my lips once again. Lukas breathed sharply again.

"I want to come see him." He informed me. I had figured as much.

"That should be fine. But wait till Mathias gets home. I'll tell Berwald to make extra for dinner. We'll make it a celebration of sorts!" I decided. "We finally named the baby, and Emil spoke! That's cause enough for a celebration in my opinion."

He offered me the softest of chuckles.

"Do I really have to wait for the idiot?" He asked.

"Yes, he's part of the family now too." I admonished. He sighed, but agreed, and I hung up the phone after instructing him on how to do the same.

Once that was taken care of, I headed into the living room where Berwald and Emil were watching the Moomins on the couch. I plopped down between them, giggling as Berwald wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Lukas and Mathias will be over for dinner." I informed the both of them.

"Ja, Ah heard we're havin' a party." Berwald replied, giving me a hard stare. I laughed, a bit of nervousness making it into my voice.

"Well, you know, I figured it was about time! The baby was born, and he's healthy, and now he has a name, and Emil is here, and he spoke!" I cried, turning to him and smiling affectionately again, pearls brimming at my eyes all over again. He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest irritably. I wiped my eyes again, sniffling a few times before I buried myself in Berwald's chest.

"I'll help cook." I offered lamely. I felt the chuckle rumble in his chest before he let it out, and looked up at him with a grin. We both stopped short when a cry came from the aquarium, and I hopped up, scooping Peter into my hand. When he wasn't sated by affection, I put him back down and scurried to the kitchen.

"Right after I feed Peter!" I called, getting a bottle ready as quickly as I could. I tested it as Berwald had shown me, then scrambled to get back, pressing it to crying lips and sighing with relief as the crying stopped. Yes, I loved my baby, and I loved his cry; It meant that he was alive and healthy. But I was starting to learn to appreciate the times he didn't cry too.

Berwald got up and put his hands on my hips, drawing me back against him and nuzzling into my hair. I smiled, watching Peter eat warily. I hoped that's all he needed. Maybe it was time to change the water in the tank again. He'd keep crying if that was the case.

Luckily, when he finished the bottle, he dozed right back off, and I let him drift gently, taking the bottle to the kitchen and washing it out. Berwald returned to the couch, and opened his arms for me when I came back. We settled in, and got through the whole DVD before deciding it was time to get started on the big dinner we had planned.

Berwald pulled things out of the fridge and the cabinets and loaded my arms up before sending me to set them down on the counter. He gave me a few tasks to busy myself with as he blurred around the kitchen, working at an amazing pace compared to my own. But that's how it always was with us in the kitchen, and I'd learned that it didn't bother him that I was so slow.

Soon enough, the house was full of delicious smells, and Emil had turned the television off in favor of watching us cook from the island. He liked to do that because Berwald would slip him little bites when he thought I wasn't paying attention. I snapped at him about ruining his appetite a few times, but he never listened, and I didn't really care. And Emil always ate plenty during our meals, so it couldn't really hurt. I was pleased to see that he was already putting on a bit of weight since I'd gone for him.

Berwald had just put dessert in the oven to bake when we heard knocking, and Emil loped over to the door with his awkward strides. I came around the corner, just in case, but smiled when I saw Lukas' arms wrap around the teen. Emil awkwardly returned the affection, looking up at his brother when he had finished the embrace. Lukas didn't let go though, kissing Emil's cheeks until the shorter was struggling to get free from his hold, retreating to the island once again and receiving a bite of the noodles that Berwald had made as a side for his troubles.

Lukas and Mathias followed behind, taking off their shoes on the way. Lukas rested his chin on Emil's head, and Mathias took a seat at the island.

"Hej guys!" Mathias greeted cheerfully, offering one of his grins. I returned the smile, going back into the kitchen to help Berwald get all the plates and things.

"Hi. Dinners done, and dessert is baking. Just give us a second to set the table, and we can eat." I offered. Emil perked up at that, legs swinging underneath the counter.

"Thank you for having us." Lukas said, tactfully wrapping his arms around Emil's shoulders, as if he might not be noticed so long as he did it slowly. Emil sighed, but let it happen, figuring he had to wait for the food anyway.

Berwald followed behind me with all of the silverware, and I put everything in place while he returned for the food, making a few trips to get more. His last trip was for a glass bottle, which I'd learned was full of alcohol which was a strangely tasty but disgusting drink that made one stupid. That's how Berwald explained it, anyway. Humans used it to celebrate, and he poured a pinkish liquid into all of our glasses before setting it on the table.

Once we had everything situated, I called for the other three, and they were already in their seats before I'd even finished telling them we were ready. I chuckled, taking my seat next to Berwald and grabbing the bowl closest to me, putting some on my plate and then passing it over to Emil.

In that fashion, we got the food around to everyone. Mathias picked up the glass bottle, examining the label, and he whistled lowly.

"This is nice stuff, Waldy! Guess we really are having a party!" He cackled, lifting his glass up and extending it towards the middle of the table. I was just as perplexed as Lukas and Emil, but Berwald did the same after heaving a sigh. They both looked at us expectantly, and, with much hesitation, we followed suit, wincing when the two humans clinked their glasses against ours, the chime startling us a bit. I pulled it back quickly to make sure it wasn't broken.

Berwald took it upon himself to explain.

Once we all understood the fundamentals of a toast, we tried it again, and Mathias whooped, as if in triumph.

"To all the cool stuff that's happening because mermaids actually exist!" He called. Lukas elbowed him, eyes narrowed. Mathias winced, rubbing his ribs. "Er… Mermen!" He corrected. Emil, Lukas, and I all rolled our eyes at almost precisely the same time, but ignored him in favor of getting to work on the food.

We thought there would be leftovers, but we underestimated our company. Not even the pie, which finished baking, was safe, and was promptly devoured before it even had a chance to cool. I myself burned my tongue on a slice, worried I would miss out if I didn't move quickly. Emil was eyeing my slice as if he was contemplating stealing it.

After dinner, we all settled in the living room, Peter's tank on the table. Emil sat on the floor, arms crossed over the table and chin resting on his forearm, staring into the glass, watching peter carefully. The babe was awake, and making a few attempts at swimming around. Emil's lips would pull into a small smile every once in a while, sighing almost dreamily.

We all talked for a while, and Berwald and I told Mathias and Lukas about Peter's name, and why we'd chosen it. We almost missed it when Emil mumbled, as if to himself-

"Peter."

We all paused, and Lukas slid off the couch, landing next to Emil and smothering him in a hug. Even he couldn't hide his smile. Emil tried to shove him off, but Lukas was having none of it, and Emil finally gave in to the cuddling and got comfortable.

It grew late without us realizing, conversation coming easier as we grew comfortable with each other once again. When we did finally glance at a clock, we frowned.

It was too late, in Berwald's opinion, to send Mathias and Lukas home. So, after moving Peter back into our room, we set up some sleeping space for them in the living room, making a bed out of blankets like we had the first time that Lukas slept over. We tried to convince Lukas and Mathias to take our room, but Lukas insisted on sleeping with Emil, so they ended up on the floor with Emil on the couch.

With a bit of a bathroom hassle, we finally got everyone situated and as comfortable as possible. Berwald and I retreated to the bedroom, and he pulled out a book, sitting up in bed and reading by a lamp. I curled up against his side and request he read it out loud, so he got me a couple chapters into a tale of a brave hero who fell in love with a fairy, and their struggles to live on as a couple despite the hardships presented due to their differing species.

He put the book down when we heard crying, and he got up, coddling Peter for a few minutes until he quieted again, but he started crying again soon after, and I gave a small chuckle, heading for the kitchen. I made the bottle as quietly as I could, tiptoeing back in hopes of not waking anyone.

I couldn't keep myself from stealing a peek at everyone, finding them all, indeed, asleep. Lukas' hand held fast to Emil's, which was hanging from the couch. I nearly snorted when I noticed Mathias' arm over Lukas' waist, holding him against his chest. I got the feeling he'd be getting chewed out in the morning, but it didn't seem like either of them was complaining just then. I wondered if they slept together at Mathias' house. He had mentioned having romantic attraction in regards to Lukas. Maybe the idea wasn't so far-fetched.

Whether or not Lukas would return the feelings was anyone's guess, but I thought they could make a good couple, if they wanted too. They sort of suited each other, in a strange way. But it wasn't my business, and I felt a little bad for spying, so I scurried into the bedroom and handed Berwald the bottle.

He gave it to Peter, leaning over to give me a kiss. Peter ate quietly, hiccupping at some point and making both of us giggle with a sort of strange elation that only parents can feel. Or maybe we were just tired.

When he finished, he quickly dozed off, and we stumbled to bed in hopes of doing the same thing. Berwald reached over and shut the lamp off, bathing us in darkness broken only by the faint glow from the window. It was a bit noisier than usual, since we'd left our door open. I could hear not only the bubbles from the aquarium, but the breathing of Berwald, Lukas, and Emil. And Mathias was snoring.

But it was a nice mix of noises. I found myself sort of lulled by them. I could get used to this new family of mine. It was a bit patchy, and strange, and full of mermen who pretended to be human, and humans who were kind enough not to tell anyone our secrets, and Violet-Eyes that should have been dead, and a Hunter who should have killed them, and a fish with a unique name. It was a weird family, and it was going to take a while to get everyone used to each other, but it was definitely a family.

It was my family.

That made me smile, though it probably looked pretty weird, because I was quickly dozing off, stirring only long enough to wiggle backwards when Berwald's hand found my hip, my back pressing against his chest, feeling his heartbeat against me. That was all it took, and I was out, happy thoughts about my new family lulling my mind into rest.

I never thought I'd have one of my own. And it wasn't perfect. Nothing was perfect. The Violet-Eyes still faced oppression under the sea. Peter was still the illegitimate son of the prince of the Mer. Lukas had still tried to kill me. Emil still wasn't really talking. Mathias and Berwald were still on rocky relations. We still had to figure out how to raise Peter.

But I had a family, and I knew we'd get through it. That's what families did, after all. They got through things, together. That's all I could ask for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, that's it guys! I wasn't sure if this was going to be the last chapter or not, but it is. But, you know, I pretty much always write an epilogue for my stuff, so I guess you could consider that one more chapter. But, joo, this is where the plot ends, technically.
> 
> This has been a hell of a story to write. I don't honestly remember what gave me the idea for this one, but I hope you all enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it. This has been the most complex AU I think I've written, what with making up my own society and whatnot. I hope it was an interesting world for you to immerse yourself in for a while.
> 
> I'd also like to apologize for all the times I was late with updates and stuff. As an author, I realize that one of my weaknesses is my inability to focus on one story only. I can't work on just one at a time, so I've actually been working on about 10 different stories at the same time as trying to update this one. I've only got three currently being published, not including this one, but I do a lot of work that no one even knows about.
> 
> Anyway, as I was saying, I know I'm a slow poke, and I'm sorry. But I hope it was always worth the wait.
> 
> As always, I'll be around. I'm currently working on a few Attack on Titan fics, and that's where I'll be focusing most of my attention for the time being. But, as most of you guys know, I can't stay away from SuFin. Sooner or later I'll upload a oneshot, or maybe I'll start another chaptered fic. I have a few in mind. But we'll see what happens.
> 
> For now, I'm off to finish my other stories. It's a really satisfying feeling, and I'm glad that I got this one done too. I hope you guys feel as awesome as I do~!
> 
> And don't forget, you are free to message me any time you want to! It doesn't even have to be about anything important. I love to just chatter away. You can follow me on tumblr too, if you want. I'm KuroRiya there too. As I always say, I love to talk to readers, and that's not going to change anytime soon. I tend to take requests too, if I like the ideas. Some of my favorite stories started out as prompts/requests. So I hope to hear from you guys soon!
> 
> Alright! Thank you so much for taking the time to read Violet Eyes, and thank you all for the feedback that you've given me! Your words meant a lot, and I'm happy I had so many of you along for the ride! I'll have the Epilogue done at some point, but until then, I bid you a fond goodbye. (I'm not actually going anywhere though, unfortunately for you guys.) Till the Epilogue~!
> 
> KuroRiya  
> 九六りや

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, the votes came in, and you guys asked for a new story, prewritten or not. I'm going to warn you: I've only got two more chapters written, and then you're subject to hectic update schedules. But I'm sure my followers are used to that by now, huh?   
> Well, I hope you liked it! I stepped back a little from the real!AU and threw some fantasy in there. For those that didn't see my post about it, this story takes place in modern times. Usually, when you find a story containing mermaids or fairies or elves, the author takes the setting back to somewhere around the medieval period. The only creatures that seem to make it to the modern day are Vamps and Werewolves. So I'd like to give Mer a shot in the modern world!   
> As you might have noticed, Tino has a more... Refined way of speaking in this story. I'm not sure if it came across, but I'm trying to imply that the Mer, especially the Violet-Eyes, are a little behind the times. They aren't exposed to the slang and ever changing language of humans, so they work with the most recent words they know. And, seeing as they've been avoiding humans for the most part, their vocabulary is a little archaic. It'll get better as Tino learns more about the human world.  
> I know that some of the things that Tino talks about are a little unclear or confusing: fret not! I promise that all will be explained in due time. I really like the story to be from his point of view, as if you were seeing into his thoughts. I don't explain my thoughts to myself, so why should he? But don't worry, he'll get around to it eventually.  
> Now for something entirely unrelated: I'm wondering if anyone would be interested in reading an original story written by me? I've been working on it here and there since I visited Japan, and I've really grown to love my characters, but I worry that I'm wasting my time on a story that only I would ever read. Just so you can get a little more info on it: It's based loosely on my trip to Japan, so you would learn a lot about the country and the Tsunami by reading it. It'd be BL, of course! Let me know what you guys think!  
> As always, here come the links! 
> 
> Deviantart: http://ask-nstac.deviantart.com/ (An ask profile, drawn answers)  
> Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/ask-kuroriya (An ask profile, written answers)  
> Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kuroriya 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and feedback is always appreciated! 
> 
> KuroRiya  
> 九六りや


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